The Money Shot
by N'yrthghar
Summary: In the underground of Zootopia, one name is feared and respected by all. But no one knows how they rose to power - until one lucky reporter is given the chance to write the story of a lifetime. [Name and rating subject to change] WildeHopps story.
1. Summoned

10:23 PM, en route to the home of the late Mr. Big

A reporter is supposed to have nerves of steel, thirst for adventure, and the ability to sniff out a good story – or else make one up. But it was impossible to not be a nervous wreck who wanted nothing more than to be at home and safely under the covers, when you've been summoned to the home of the most feared and respected crime boss in all of Zootopia.

Such was the case of one reporter Jack S. Wranger as he sat in the back seat of a black limousine. The cream-furred rabbit could hardly contain his shaking, the brown cap on his head nearly falling off as he looked around. The interior of the vehicle was very comforting, relaxing. A gentle brown covered the seats with gray cloth on the roof and floor, a set of fancy glasses resting on the far doorway beside an untouched bottle of wine. The glasses were spaced impeccibly, hardly shifting with the gentle turns that the driver made. A faint, ornately designed white 'H' faced outwards on the glasses, a reminder of who it was that the rabbit was going to meet.

Across from him sat a black panther, finely dressed in a black suit and white undershirt. His black tie was pulled tightly against his neck, and his dark brown eyes only occasionally turned from the window to the rabbit. No attempts at conversation were made, save the offer of a drink which the rabbit kindly refused. A window to the front seat was visible behind the panther, but the blackened glass cut the two mammals off from the driver and his passenger.

Jack's thoughts drifted back to why he was here.

 _"Jackie," his boss shouted, walking through the mess of desks and filing cabinets that made up their offices. The Feline Inquirer was a big newspaper company in Zootopia, but as were all paper-printing companies, they were struggling to stay relevant compared to on-screen news apps. The result was a grouping of exhausted mammals, straining to find interesting enough stories to keep the paper afloat. The rooms were hot and stuffy, the air dry and the fans doing little to relieve the heat of so many mammals in the room. Keyboards could be heard as reporters and researchers did their best, and the ringing of phones hardly ceased for more than a minute. A bland environment, but one most members of the office had found comforting through the recent years._

 _"Yes, boss?" Jack said, ears rising up as he lifted his head from the article he was working on. Photos, papers, and pencils littered his desk. Discarded or now-useless papers were stained with the dark rings of a coffee mug, the plain white cup sitting dangerously at the edge of his desk. The tan cap he wore, a vintage favorite for his field work, rested on a pile of papers at the other edge._

 _"Got a letter for you," his boss said, slapping a cream colored envilope onto his desk. Jack looked at it, then up to his boss. The badger looked at him expectantly, dim blue eyes waiting for him to open the letter. Jack took a moment to set down his cup, watching as his boss fixed his rolled-up sleeves._

 _"For me? You shouldn't have, Logan," the rabbit chuckled, picking it up and turning over the paper in his grasp. His heart stopped for a moment when he saw the red wax seal, an unmistakeably designed 'H' sitting in the very center. The left of it held a series of unnecessary curls and loops, the two pillars that formed the vertical sides of the letter being far fatter than the rest of it. The styling invoked memories of letters from grandparents, the beautiful lettering that flowed over the paper being the nearest comparison. Jack could feel the eyes of the badger beside him boring into his head, urging the rabbit to open the letter._

 _Jack was hesitant. Had she somehow found out about his snooping? In his attempts to bring together a story that could help the business, he had gone digging into the surprising lack of evident organized crime on the streets. The result led him to find that there was once a large collective of mafias within the city, at least one per district. But now, all of them were under one name, signified by a single letter. There was no clear rhyme or reason as to why they had all fallen under one rule, one family, but it was clear from how the older members of the mafia reacted that the new leader was to be feared. The rabbit had attempted to discover the history of this, the why and how and when, only to meet a dead end at every turn. Most mammals who had ties to the older families were tight-lipped, and online information was scarce at best._

 _With a set of sweaty, shaking paws, Jack opened up the envelope and slid out the letter. The paper was smooth, a shade paler than the casing it had come with, and bordered in a manner similar to the H's design. Leaves and vines ran along the sides of the paper, safely encompassing the words waiting for him. He took a gulp of air, and began reading._

"Dear Mr. Jackson Wranger,

It has recently come to our attention that you have given an unusual interest in the criminal past of our fair city. In the past, as is current, this act was heavily frowned upon. But as one age draws to a close, it seems only fitting that the tale be told. As such, you are being summoned to the estate of the late Mr. Big tomorrow evening. A cheauffer will arrive at your home promptly at 10:00 PM for transport. It is advised that you not be late."

 _Signed just beneath it was a single letter, an H. The calling card of the city's crime leader, once something he gave little thought towards, was now sending him into a silent panic. Logan, his boss, was leaning over his shoulder to read the letter, standing upright with wide eyes and a dumbfounded expression as he ran a paw over his head. "Shit, kid..." he muttered._

 _Jack's mouth felt dry as he set down the letter and sat back in his chair. Dread filled him as he considered the many possible reasons for him being summoned. It could be so innocent as the letter implied, the goal simply being to pass along a story of the underground of Zootopia. Or it could be something far more sinister – perhaps he had looked too deeply into something without realizing it, and he was to be silenced?_

 _"Sir," the rabbit said, after finding his voice. "I think I'd like the rest of the day off."_

 _"Go ahead, son," the badger said. He walked around the desk and placed both paws on it, leveling his eyes with Jack's. "Get your things in order, just in case. Don't bother coming in tomorrow, either. I don't think you want to risk keeping them waiting."_

 _Jack nodded and thanked the badger, before slowly packing his things and walking out the doors to go home. He ignored the curious looks he was given, taking his windbreaker and slinging it over his shoudler with his messenger bag as he walked home, blankly staring all the way._

The remainder of his time at home had been filled with quiet reasurrances to his wife that he would return, as well as informing his closest family and friends of his 'summons.' The entire ordeal was quiet and slow, and when the limousine had finally pulled up to his sidewalk, he gave his wife a firm hug, swift kiss, and good night before slowly walking out to meet his cheauffers.

The night was cold, the winds of fall biting at the districts that weren't temperature controlled. A faint drizzle had begun since he had left his home, the faint pattering of raindrops on the vehicle calming him slightly.

Once they pulled into the lengthy driveway, a sense of finality settled within the reporter. His shaking slowly ceased as the vehicle came to a halt, and the door on his right was opened up. A large polar bear stared down at him, dressed in a suit similar to the panther's, waiting for him to exit. Jack quickly gathered his things and hopped out, followed by the panther. The polar bear grunted quietly and shut the door, before leading the two inside the large, victorian-style home. Snow at least a foot and a half thick covered the roof, small chunks of it falling away as rain that hadn't yet become snow hit the roof. Jack shivered and shook himself as he entered the noticeably warmer house, his breath no longer visible.

He was stopped within in entryway by an arctic fox. Unlike the rest, he was not dressed in a suit, but rather a running outfit. "I need to search you," he said in an official tone, nodding in thanks as Jack relinquished his items and let himself be pat down. The only item in his pockets, his phone, was removed and carefully examined, before being handed back to him. His messenger's bag was carefully sifted through, the sound of pencils and papers sounding from inside as the fox dug around, before also being carefully sealed and handed back. Lastly, his coat, which only held a wad of napkins. This too was given back to the reporter.

"Right this way," the fox said, turning and folding his paws in one another before him as he led Jack down a series of halls. Lights designed like candles adorned the walls, as did a wide variety of photographs. From one of an old shrew in a red dress, to one of what could only be Mr. Big with his daughter when she was but a child, or of many groupings of polar bears in suits, the photos held a story of their own. But Jack was not given enough time to try and work out these stories, as he was quickly ushered into a room with two large oak doors. The golden handles complimented the floral engravings of the wood, giving not even a creak as they were pushed inwards.

Jack stepped into what could only be described as a study. Massive bookcases lined the walls, packed to the brim with novels ranging from Sherlock Hound to the works of ancient philosophers. A fire crackled on the left side, warmth radiating from it and relieving the rabbit. Towards the back of the room was a floor-to-ceiling window, moonlight streaming through and illuminating a perfectly kept desk of dark wood. A quil and ink bottle sat beside a lamp on one side, the other having stacks of books haphazardly placed down.

To the left, on the far side of the fire, sat a figure in a fancy chair. The wooden frame supported white fabric and gold lacings of more victorian-era floral pattering. A similar chair sat not far from it, a single small table between the two. This, too, held several books, one of which was open, and a coaster that had a half-empty cup of tea on it.

"Ah, Jackson," sounded an aged, unfamiliar voice. It was light and warm, yet tinged with experience and an unspoken authority. "I've been waiting for you. Please, take a seat."

A gray paw, slightly smaller than his own, gestured to the seat across from their own, and Jack did as was told. He took a nervous breath, setting down his bag and removing his coat as he did so. It was then that he took a look at she who had summoned him.

White tinged the gray rabbit's muzzle, and a multitide of scars showed on her fur. One small cut above her right eye, and a similar one ran along the far side of her right cheek. A nick was in her right ear, towards the top, and a matching nick was at the base of her left ear. She was dressed just as the rest of the mammals he had encountered so far were, with one exception. Over her heart was a red flower he couldn't identify, pinned in place like a corsage. Her amethyst eyes sparkled brilliantly, but held a depth that spoke of her experience and age. Yet when he sat there, he felt more than one gaze upon him.

"I trust your ride here was a comfortable one?" she asked. Jack nodded. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. "Would you care for a drink? Perhaps a tea or coffee?"

"No, thank you," Jack muttered. He watched as one of her ears flicked and she reached for her drink, taking a slow sip.

"You know," she said. "It was on a night much like this that my place in this city was solidified." She turned from the fire to look at Jack, and he swallowed nervously. She chuckled softly at his reaction. "That's what you're here for, isn't it?"

"I-I believe so," he stammered. "To be quite honest, ma'am, I'm not entirely sure why you summoned me here."

"You are a reporter, correct?" she said. Jack nodded. "I summoned you here to pass along the story of my rise. It was surprisingly swift, I will admit. And I have done my share of deeds, both good and bad, while I have held this power."

Jack nodded slightly. "I understand now," he said.

"I should hope so. It's your job to, isn't it?" she chuckled. Jack offered a nervous smile and nod of affirmation. "You have a moment's time to gather your things before I begin."

Jack nodded and hastily began pulling things from his messenger bag. A small recorder was set on the table between them, and a notebook was withdrawn with a pen, the rabbit flicking through the pages until he found a clean one. With one final, steadying breath, he scribbled the date onto the paper. "Alright, ma'am, I'm ready for you to begin."

The rabbit across from him chuckled softly. "Let's start us off with somewhere simple, shall we? My name," she said, pausing for a dramatic effect. "Is Judy Hopps."


	2. Fire and Ice

Judy Hopps was a happy-go-lucky, energetic bunny filled with optimism and pride, so sure of herself and her abilities that she took on any challenge that came her way. No matter the problem, she met it head-on with no fear, and she had always come out on top. The training of the police academy was difficult, and the effort it took to even get them to accept her was ridiculous (they had laughed in her face the first time she tried to get in).

When she had been accepted, finally, she gave it her all at the academy. Late nights studying the written works she was given, accompanied with a surprising amount of physical training had led to her graduating as valedictorian of her class. And when she was assigned to the precinct she had desired so deeply, Precinct One at the heart of Zootopia, she could hardly contain her excitement. It was all she could do to keep from letting her emotions get the best of her, and jump with pure ecstasy on the stage. Her parents, however fearful they were of one of their oldest breaking the mold yet again and doing a job so dangerous, were nothing if not proud of her. The entirety of the Hopps family had seen her off to Zootopia, where she would live a grand life as a police officer, the very _first_ rabbit cop the world had ever seen.

Her journey to the sprawling metropolis was filled with awe and wonder as she drank in the sights, ever amazed by the way snow shot from the ground in Tundratown, and heat bore down from the heaters of Sahara Square. Sand gave way to snow which gave way to water, and each inch of the city filled the rabbit with excitement she had never thought possible. Her first days in Zootopia had made her feel like she was capable of anything, to accompish all of her dreams. Life in the big city would just be _amazing_.

What a load of shit that turned out to be. Because, while they say 'anyone can be anything,' it's never mentioned _how long_ they can be anything.

Judy Hopps was successful in becoming the first ever rabbit officer, yes. She had immediately broken the record for the most tickets in one day, true. And she had, in fact, stopped Duke Weaselton from stealing two dozen seeds of _Midnicampum Holicithias._ But that was all before she had risked her job on a missing mammal's case.

Clawhauser had been right about it being the smallest case file he had ever seen. A single page with next to no information, and the only available image held nothing of use to her. A single red pawpsicle, sold by a white fennec fox she had caught lying about his being left an orphan after a fire to be given a Jumbo Pop the day before. The fennec had been nigh impossible to track down, and when she had, he was far from helpful to her. She had, in the end, kept her word and brought him back to the Precinct for his tax evasion – but that was as far as she ever got with the case. Left with no other options, and the few leads she managed to dig up leading nowhere, she had been forced to keep her end of the deal.

Her career as a police officer had lasted a grand total of about 96 hours. Years of hard work and dedication, down the drain and washed away by her tears of sorrow.

It was three days later at a coffee shop in Tundratown as she was bawling her eyes out for the umpteenth time when a little shrew approached her. Through the tears, she recognized her as the little shrew she had saved from a massive donut less than a week ago. The shrew climbed up to her table and, surprisingly concerned, asked Judy what was wrong. The rabbit, through sobs and sniffles, retold her story to the shrew, and with each moment she looked more and more heartbroken.

At the end, the shrew, who Judy had found out was named Fru-Fru, insisted she come with her to talk to her father. Judy had been led to a large white limousine, several massive polar bears waiting inside and giving Judy threatening glares even after Fru-Fru explained that she was with her. The ride she was given to the massive house that was their destination was made in an uncomfortable silence, despite Fru-Fru's constant attempts at conversation. Judy would either let out a small, almost inaudible "Uh-huh" or "Mm-mm" in response.

Later on, the shrew had given up in her attempts, and the remainder of the ride was in silence. The journey inside her father's incredible house was in an equal lack of conversation. It wasn't until she had been brought into the study and confronted by a half dozen massive polar bears, the largest of which placing a small shrew in an ornate chair on the desk, that she realized she needed to open her mouth. The shrew was dressed in a way demanding respect – an expensive black suit, red boutonnière, a black bowtie, and a golden ring on his right paw, an emeral gleaming brightly in the dim light.

Fru-Fru had immediately dove into an exlpanation on how Judy was in a very bad spot, but was the same rabbit who had saved her from the giant donut, and how the shrew wanted to help her. Her father just sat and listened through the ordeal, occasionally looking to Judy for confirmation to his daughter's claims, and nodding at the appropriate times. When Fru-Fru was finished, the older shrew sat in silence, his tiny paw rubbing at his chin as he studied Judy carefully. The rabbit in question stood still, slumped in her now-usual silence, ears fallen against her back and slightly hunched over as she hugged herself lightly. She began to study the room, finding it to be an office of some sort. A dark wooden desk was underneath the shrews, a mat behind him with a fountain pen and ink bottle atop it. The desk itself was angled against a corner, a fireplace on its left, unlit. The top was covered in snow, two red candles burning at the edges and a large boquet of roses sitting at the base of a portrait depicting an old shrew with a wrinkled muzzle and white hair in a red dress.

"What is your name?" The older shrew asked. Judy looked up, blinking as she processed the question. It was simple, but caught her off guard.

"J-Judy," She said. When he seemed dissatisfied, she tried again. "Judith Laverne Hopps."

The shrew nodded again. "Do you know who I am?" He asked. Judy shook her head.

"Just... A rich shrew? I haven't been in Zootopia long, I don't know all that much," Judy admitted.

The shrew nodded slowly, before turning to his daughter. "If I let her stay, she is half your responsibility." Fru-Fru nodded to this, looking between Judy and her father excitedly. The older shrew turned to the rabbit again, sitting forward in his chair. "Judith, you may stay here with us, as a guest. We will do what we can to aid you in getting back on your own feet, as thanks for your saving my daughter. But we have rules you must abide by. The first, is to not interfere with my business, or our affairs. The second, if you leave, we must know where you are going – this is but a precaution, we won't stalk you. Third-"

The shrew was cut off by a knocking at the door. Judy turned, ears rising up in curiousity, as the older shrew said to enter. She doubted whoever was on the other side could hear, but they only opened the door after the command. A large polar bear in a white and gold track suit stepped in, Judy stepping aside as he walked to the center of the room. "He has returned," the bear rumbled. The older shrew nodded.

"Bring him in," he said. The polar bear nodded and walked out of the room, returning a minute later with a second mammal at his side.

This mammal caught Judy off guard. A fox, dressed in a clean suit, red fur smooth and glossy. His face was straight, but his brilliant green eyes held a clear mischief. The air around him was a dangerous one, yet it was offset by the feeling of safety he emitted. The irony struck Judy as strange, and she quickly averted her gaze when the fox looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, realizing that she had been staring.

The fox walked up to the shrew, paws clasped in front of him. "Nicky, you have returned. I assume, then, the work is done?"

"It is, sir," 'Nicky' replied. He freed his paws and turned one over, revealing three bullet casings. "All three sheep are down. Whoever was making the Night Howler serum that Otterton warned you about is going to have a much harder time making it now."

"Their lab?" The shrew asked.

"Things got a little... Heated," the fox replied, smirking ever-so-slightly.

"An unfortunate event, but one that I'm sure was for the best," the shrew replied. "Very well. You may return to your room; I will call for you when we have another assignment requiring your abilities."

The fox nodded. "Thank you, sir," he said, before turning for the door. As he passed by her, the fox winked at Judy – or was it a blink? She couldn't tell, but the way his smirk grew set a strange mixture of emotions within her.

"Judith," The shrew said. "I now have to attend some business. I will speak with you come morning – until then, Koslov will show you to your room."

"Thank you, sir," Judy said, bowing slightly.

"And, for your knowledge, call me Mr. Big," the shrew continued.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Big," Judy replied, bowing again. Mr. Big nodded and waved one of his paws, plucking out a small cigar and lighting it with a similarly small lighter. The grumble of a polar bear brought away Judy's attention, and a large polar bear she assumed was Koslov jerked his head for her to follow him, beginning to walk out of the room. Judy hastily followed, the polar bear silently leading her through the halls. Each one seemed vaguelly similar to the one they had just left – victorian carpeting, oak doors, warm brown walls with floral wallpaper, photographs of the manor's inhabitants, and a fair amount of windows to reveal that it was now some time after sunset, the last dregs of orange glow barely making it through the glass and into the hallway.

Finally, they stopped at a door that was smaller than the rest. Sized about right for a wolf, rather than a shrew or polar bear, Koslov opened it and flicked on the light. The door didn't even so much as creak as it was pushed open, but the room itself was covered in a fair amount of dust. The floor was hardwood, a rug with ornately designed golden flowers and blue leaves, bordered with burgundy vines, sat on the floor. The bed was large, far too large for a rabbit, but too small for a bear to use. The same could be said of the appliances – the desk in one corner of the room, the matching chair, the dresser, everything was too large for her.

Judy sneezed as she stepped into the room, kicking up dust. Koslov shut the door behind her, leaving Judy alone with her thoughts.

She was to stay here for the time being, in this room. She did still have her own place at the Grand Pangolin Arms, but the past few days had made her develop a distaste for the room. It reminded her of her 'career' as a police officer, and brought her painful memories that were still fresh in her mind. She would return at some point for her belongings, assuming she stayed with Mr. Big and Fru-Fru for more than a few days. In the meantime, she could get some sleep. Mr. Big would talk to her come morning, and she could decide what she would do; though, to be honest, she felt as though his decision would be life-altering.

The full weight of her emotional exhaustion began to creep onto Judy, making her suddenly feel totally exhausted as she walked to the bed. Hopping on top of it, she sneezed again as the dust was disturbed by her landing. Wiping her nose with a sleeve, she walked over to the pillows and crawled just under the blankets. Her eyes fell shut as she let the warmth of the cloth over her drew her into the void of sleep.

~ óÓÒò ~

When Judy opened her eyes again, it was still dark. She could tell a significant amount of time had passed, but it was unclear exactly how long it had been.

Slowly, the gray rabbit sat up and took off the covers, dropping to the ground a moment later. She narrowly avoided tripping over her own two feet as she made for the door, the fog of sleep still clouding her mind, and darkness of the windowless room rendering her nearly blind. She managed to jump to the door handle however, tugging it down and pulling it open to reveal the darkened doorway beyond. Judy poked her head out and looked around, finding it empty.

She quietly crept from the comfort of the bedroom she had been given, slowly walking down the hallway. She jumped as someone suddenly spoke from behind her, the rabbit spinning around. "Where ya going, Carrots?"

It was the fox from earlier. He was clearly getting ready for bed, suit discarded in exchange for some loose charcoal sweatpants and a white tank top. His green eyes shone mischeviously as he crossed his arms, smirking at having surprised the doe. Judy grit her teeth in an attempt to avoid feeling embarrassed at being startled, more annoyed at her not hearing his door open than his surprising her. "You're going to want to refrain from calling me 'Carrots'," she said, pointing a finger at him with indignation. "But, for the record, I'm looking for the bathroom."

"My bad," Nick replied, walking over to her. "I just naturally assumed you were from some carrot-choked podunk is all."

"Uh, no, I come from Bunnyburrow. Podunk is all the way out in Deerbrook county," Judy said, adding a glare.

"And I come from the land of Narnia, where I slayed the Jabberwocky and became a hero," the fox replied. "But oh, would you look at that?" he dug into his pockets, feigning surprise at finding them empty. "Looks like I left all the fucks I give back there."

Judy bit down on her tongue, trying to find a retort. When she found none, her ears drooped slightly. Nick took this as a clear sign of victory, leaning down to be eye level with her as he planted his paws on his knees. "Aww, what's the matter? Did I hurt your feewings?"

Judy began to shake, her paws balling into fists as she stared at the fox before her. In her hazy state, her emotions were harder to control, and she could feel her annoyance quickly turning into anger at the snide comments being told, quite literally, to her face. It took all of her restraint to not lash out and punch the fox in his muzzle right n-

"Is the cute wittle bunny getting mad?" he jabbed again.

That did it. Without thinking, Judy swung at the fox. His eyes went wide as he ducked down, Judy spinning around with the punch to kick his jaw as he came up. Her training at the police academy wouldn't be lost, at least not on this night.

Nick took the blow and landed on the ground, quickly standing as Judy stormed over and pulled back her fist for another blow. When she let loose, though, Nick caught it in his larger paw, pulling her towards him as he brought up his knee. Judy slammed into it with unexpected force, her breath being knocked from her lungs as he let go, allowing her to collapse to the floor.

Judy groaned and rolled to her back, holding her stomach. Nick stared down at her, his eyes showing a cross between anger and... Concern? That second emotion did nothing but make Judy angrier. How dare he feel concerned about having given her just one blow? It hurt, yes, but she was tough. She hadn't graduated as valedictorian of her class for no reason. She could take a few good blows from mammals four times her size. Determination set in as she rolled backwards, pushing off the ground to kick Nick in the stomach. The fox let out a grunt of surprise as he fought from doubling over, grabbing her feet to hold the rabbit in place. Reaching further up her legs, he took a firm hold, and lifted. Judy's legs screamed in pain at her being lifted from them, but this pain was quickly dwarfed by the feeling of her body slamming onto the floor as he threw her down. Before Judy could roll over, Nick was over her, his paws pinning down her arms, one of his knees on her back.

"Let me tell you something, Carrots," Nick grumbled, leaning down to mutter in her ears. "You've made three mistakes with this. Whoopsie number one? You tried fighting a fox in the dark. Whoopsie number two? Thinking you could beat a fox who's not only older than you, but has been fighting longer. And whoopsie number threesie?" He paused here, and Judy could feel his breath against her as he leaned even closer. "You didn't realize that there was no one to help you. Oh sure, I'm betting you used to have friends to spar with, or someone who could come to your aid, but here? You're the odd one out."

And with that, his weight vanished from her back. Judy spun around and scrambled to her feet in an instant, taking up a boxer's stance. She lowered it slightly at seeing Nick several feet away, arms crossed, expression unreadable. "Down the hall, third door to the right," he said. "Don't fall in." Before she could respond, the fox had returned to his room, leaving the rabbit alone.

It took a moment for Judy to stop staring at the door, letting out a sigh as she walked down the hallway. She stopped just outside the bathroom, briefly losing herself in thought. She hadn't been beaten in a fight in quite some time; how Nick had pinned her so quickly was beyond her. But she knew one thing was for sure: loathe as she was to admit it, she'd been _excited_ to feel the fox pin her. Whether it was from realizing someone could actually give her a good fight, or if it was something else, was yet to be determined.


	3. Partners

A great amount of time had passed since Judy's midnight bout with Nick, and their relationship hadn't changed much since then. The few times they met, for however long, the air grew tense and sparks practically flew between the two. The rest of the time, the two actively avoided one another as best they could.

Judy had ended up staying with Mr. Big, finding no real reason to leave his care until she had secured herself a new job – though it proved to be a significantly harder task than she had anticipated. She was not a freeloader, however, and she did her best to help out around the massive estate in an attempt to earn her keep: doing dishes and helping cook, or helping to reach and access areas too small for a polar bear but too large for a shrew.

Fru-Fru was a constant source of support, always keeping Judy company when she needed it and, on occasion, taking her for a 'girl's day out'. The two were fast friends, and Judy quickly found herself growing happier with the little mammal around. What she lacked in size, she made up for in enthusiasm – a definite challenge to the energetic cheetah she had briefly known at the ZPD.

Perhaps the best part of it all was that thoughts of the ZPD were no longer setting the rabbit to immediate depression. She had failed her dream in some sense, true, but she no longer saw it as the end of everything. She was finding the monotonous tasks around the estate to be some semblence of comfort, a sort of numbness that was welcome to her.

The only thing that broke that monotony was the call from her parents she received every other day; they were constantly worried, checking up on her and almost begging her to return to the farm at the failure of her police career. Yet she was adamant in her refusal, insisting that she liked the city and wanted to at least try something new and different. It was a constant back and forth that she grew weary of, despite knowing that it was all from their love and concerns for her.

Close to three months later, Judy had finally gotten a job – albeit something different from what she had anticipated. Mr. Big had summoned her to his office with a proposition: Work under him, as a part of the family, and be paid alongside keeping her current place in his home. After so long with nothing to show for her efforts in regards to work, Judy accepted – though, she had a feeling that the alternative was to either be sent out into the streets, or 'iced', as she had overheard some bears say.

And so it was she began her work for Mr. Big. Initially, it was nothing nefarious, or even suspicious to her: she was to help keep the Tundratown Limo Service station clean, and assist in directing drivers to where they needed to go. It was, in all honesty, fairly similar to dispatch at a police station, as well as something new to make her parents stop requesting she return to the farm.

That was the biggest change for her. When her parents called, she no longer had to tell them how she was still searching for a job, and instead could proudly state that she was helping to keep a limo service running smoothly. Though they still clearly wanted her to return home, her parents were happy that she had found work and that she seemed significantly happier. Things were going smoothly.

And then, one day, Judy was summoned to Mr. Big's office. She had no idea as to why, but she knew better by now than to put the shrew on hold – so instead, she set the dish she had been washing back into the sink, and immedaitely set off. When she entered the office, she let the faint hints of a scowl appear on her face – Nick was waiting in the office, facing Mr. Big with his paws held behind his back. When Mr. Big looked her way, though, she quickly replaced the scowl with a faint smile, stepping up beside Nick.

"Ah, Judith, good. I have a request for you, and Nick as well." The shrew looked between the rabbit and fox, discarding any formalities at the very start. "I have a set of errands that need to be run through the city, and want the two of you to do them."

Nick glanced over to Judy, frowning a bit as he turned to face the shrew. "Together?" he asked, a bit hesitant.

"Together. As partners. Which, from now on, you two will be." Mr. Big nodded, watching the two, gauging their reactions.

"What?" They both sounded off at the same time, glancing to one another before trying to come up with an argument to use against their boss. It was Nick who found one first, taking a small step forward. "Mr. Big, sir, that's cra-" A sharp look from the smaller mammal made Nick stop his protest immediately, the fox taking a nervous step back into place.

Judy, being more careful, decided to try and object. "Sir, I don't think that's a very good idea. Nick and I don't get along very well and - "

"That is exactly _why_ you two are being put as partners. A family, though sometimes disfunctional, can always find ways to get along with each other. But the hostility between you two is clear, and that same hostility could lead to problems on all fronts – business and otherwise." The shrew leaned back in his chair slightly. "And avoiding one another will only make matters worse. It is best to end whatever problems we could have as soon as we can."

Judy nodded once, sighing as she recognized the logic in Mr. Big's decision. She didn't like it, but between her respect for Mr. Big and her desires to actually get out of the house for longer than her brief stays at work led her to not fight it. Nick seemed resigned to it as well, his shoulders slumping slightly as he set his face to a neutral expression. The shrew took note of this, giving a chuckle. "Perk up, Nicky. It won't be that bad. As for your errands today..." He gave a wave of his small hand, and the massive polar bear behind him set a sheet of paper down on the desk, sliding it over. Nick reached out and took the paper, reading over its contents. Judy leaned over to try and read some of it, and Nick tilted the page slightly for her once he noticed.

The list was fairly simple. Some items were seemingly for a party – streamers, balloons, etc. – but others seemed random. Ball bearings, paracord, a fleece blanket sized for a larger mammal? And, to add to the cofusion, there were three addresses seemingly strewn through the list. Nick began to fold the paper up, slipping it into a pocket. "Is there anything else?" he asked, nodding once Mr. Big shook his head. "Alright. Come on, Carrots, let's go." Nick turned and jerked his head in a 'follow me' motion.

"I told you to stop calling me that," Judy muttered, walking out of the room after the fox. She grit her teeth for a moment, before taking a deep breath – there was no point in letting him get to her right now. She continued after him, keeping only a step behind as he walked in silence to the garage where most of the vehicles were kept.

Judy, despite being here for several months, hadn't been in here yet; she had no vehicle of her own, giving her no reason to use the garage. She was rather surprised at the variety of vehicles within, most of which were sized for polar bears of course. Trucks, SUVs, a few vans, sports and commercial cars lined the massive space. Each one had its own paint job, though there was a set of black ones visible on the back that she could spot.

Nick continued to quietly lead her along the vehicles until he found his own, grinning widely as he walked faster to it. Judy tilted her head, inspecting his car – it was clearly and old muscle car that was well-maintained, loved, and updated. A two-door, dark gray colored vehicle, setting it apart from the rest of the ones in the garage, the interior perfectly sized for a smaller mammal like a fox.

Nick swiftly slid into the driver's seat, beginning to buckle himself in. Judy tugged on the passenger side door, but it didn't give – locked. She looked through the window at the fox, who had paused as he was putting the keys in the ignition, before he reached over and unlocked the door for her. Judy opened it and jumped into her seat, muttering a small "thanks" as she did so. Nick remained silent as he turned on the vehicle, slowly driving it outside and into the streets.

Judy stared out the window, watching the world pass by as she let out a small sigh. She could feel Nick look over to her, but when she glanced at him, his eyes were fixed on the snow-covered road. The two sat in a somewhat uneasy silence for a while, before Judy grew frustrated with it and decided to try a civil conversation. Something simple, that the fox likely couldn't react poorly to. Something like...

"Nice car," she commented.

She caught Nick glancing over to her in slight surprise as she looked his way. The fox was quiet for a moment, before responding with "Thanks. Took a while to get her fixed up."

"You fixed up this car?" Judy asked, a bit surprised. Nick didn't exactly seem like a mechanic or anyone good with a wrench, so much as a businessmammal.

"With some help," he admitted. "But I like what we've done with her."

Judy nodded, falling quiet again as she tried to think of a way to continue the conversation. "What year is she?" the rabbit finally asked.

"Nineteen-sixty-nine. Seems to have been a good year for muscle cars." Nick sat up in his seat a bit, trying to get a better view as he drove. "Mach 1 Mustang."

"Seems like you know a lot about cars," Judy remarked.

"Muscle cars are what I work on," Nick explained. "Any model, make, year, I've probably fixed a part or two on it."

"I thought you did odd jobs for Mr. Big?" Judy tilted her head slightly.

"I do, but there's long gaps between jobs. So, I work with a friend at a car shop." He looked over to her again, and the rabbit glanced back. She gave a small smile, noticing the lack of tension between the two. "What do you know about cars?" he asked.

"Not much," Judy sighed. "I helped work on an old pickup we had on my parent's farm, and the tractors, but that was about it."

"Oh, so you _are_ a farm bunny?" Nick grinned and chuckled at this. Judy let her ears fall at realizing what she had said. She began to stammer, trying to think of a response, before sighing.

"Yeah, I came from a farm. Bunnyburrow, remember?"

"I hadn't heard of it before, I thought you were making it up," Nick chuckled.

"You haven't heard of Bunnyburrow?" Judy asked, somewhat surprised by this.

"I'm a city mammal, Carrots. Born and raised. Never really had a chance to leave it." Nick shook his head, while Judy bit her tonuge on a reminder to not call her Carrots. She let out a small "Oh" and returned her gaze to the window. She couldn't quite tell what, but there was a shift between them – the tension from before, while still there, was significantly less than before.

She could only hope it lasted.

 **So this got out a little later than I wanted, and for that, I'm sorry. Between some personal things and a lack of sleep, writing has been really difficult. With any luck, though, I can put out updates for this more often as time goes on. I also apologize if this chapter seems rushed or a little imcomplete, but for what I wanted to happen next, I felt this was a good enough place to leave off. Hopefully later updates are twice this long, as well.**


	4. Families

Judy looked over as Nick climbed into the driver's seat, tossing a small box into the back seat of the car. They had just finished retrieving all of the items on the list, but as a result, it had gotten late into the evening, as was evident by the setting sun. While Nick and Judy had both retrieved most of the items listed, Nick insisted that he be the one to get whatever was at the addresses. Each time it led to a business – dental, laundry, and electronics – where Nick walked in, disappeared for fifteen minutes, then walked out with a small package. When Judy asked what it was, the fox gave a shrug and set it in the back seat. And while she was curious, she didn't dare try to inspect them.

So instead she waited, striking idle talk with Nick as they went about the city but only briefly going anywhere outside of Tundratown. They were far from friends, but it surprised Judy to see how quickly they had gone from bitterly despising one another's presence to what seemed like respectful tolerance. Though respectful was being rather generous at times, as Nick insisted on referring to her as 'Carrots' or 'Fluff' or some other crude nickname, and still called the rabbit 'cute' more than once.

It was such a change, though, that Nick offered to make a stop somewhere for dinner once the rabbit's stomach gurgled. Initially, Judy declined, but after Nick made a joke about her stomach disagreeing at its second gurgling, she gave in and accepted. Nick only gave a satisfied grin at this as he changed course, not saying where they were going but promising to Judy that she would enjoy it.

And of course, Nick was right. He didn't choose some cheap fast food place like she had expected – no, he went to an actual restaurant, and one of Judy's favorites to boot. Pawlive Garden wasn't something she'd had often when growing up, but every once in a while her family would order a to-go meal for the family (It was only on rare occasions, as the price for such a thing was rather high), and Judy quickly found herself debating if sneaking bits and pieces of the few leftovers were worth it. She couldn't place it, but there was something about the food that she absolutely loved.

Nick clearly found this very amusing, almost unable to stop his chuckling as she bounced in her seat eagerly as they pulled into the parking lot. While she knew he would hold her childish behavior against her, she didn't care – the last time she had eaten here was as a celebration dinner after her graduation from the police academy. And while the memory stung, it was replaced by excitement at returning to this place.

"Calm down, Carrots," Nick snickered as he killed the engine to his car. "The restaurant isn't going anywhere." Judy nodded, taking a deep breath as she calmed herself down and climbed out of the vehicle. Nick locked the doors before he began to walk to the door, just ahead of her. He tugged it open just enough for Judy to duck inside before he himself entered, and Judy smiled widely as the smells of the restaurant reached her nose.

It didn't take long for the two to be seated, menus passed out and the doe waitress wandering off to give the two time to order, though not before Nick asked for mozerella sticks as an appetizer. The waitress nodded and wrote it down, as well as their drinks – Judy settled for water, while Nick ordered wine – before walking off.

Judy felt her mouth watering and stomach growling as she scanned the menu, unable to decide what to order. The eggplant parmigiana? Fettuccini alfredo? Perhaps the rigatoni? Or what about the ziti al forno?

The rabbit looked over her menu to see Nick setting his down, the fox leaning back in his seat across from her with a small smirk. "Having trouble deciding there, Carrots?" he asked. Judy rolled her eyes, returning to the menu.

"There's just so much to choose from," She muttered. Nick let out a small snort of amusement, before leaning forward in his chair. Judy glanced at him again, noticing his bored expression as he rested his head in a paw, elbow on the table. Again, she rolled her eyes, before returning to the menu. She continued to look over it before Nick's voice drew her away.

"You know, if you're having trouble deciding, you can get more than one thing," he said. "There are such things as to-go boxes, you know."

"But I can't afford a whole lot here," Judy replied, ears falling slightly as she lowered her menu.

To this, Nick snorted. "Carrots, I may be brash and all, but I'm not making you pay. I _am_ a gentlemammal after all."

Judy laughed once, shaking her head. "Right, you, a gentlemammal?"

"Oh it's true," Nick said, sitting back in his seat as he smiled smugly at her. "A handsome fox such as myself has expectations to meet – something I'm very good at."

"I see," Judy responded. "Expectations that involve you paying the meal of someone you seem reluctant to be around?"

"Respect is a part of it," Nick yawned. "It's part of the gentlemammal's code."

"Gentlemammal's code?" Judy laughed, bringing her menu up again. "Does that mean there's a lady's code as well?"

"Clearly your mother kept that a secret from you." Nick chuckled as he tapped his fingers against the table. "Never would have guessed that."

"Excuse me, are you implying that I'm not a lady?" Judy said, feigning hurt and shock.

"Implying involves much more subtlety than I used, Carrots," Nick snickered back.

Judy let out a faint, almost inaudible giggle. "Good. Because I'm just the most dainty little flower."

Nick opened his mouth for a response, but shut it as the waitress walked back over. "Have we decided on what we'll be having?" she asked.

Nick glanced over to Judy, who nodded as she set down the menu. Nick nodded and sat back in his seat, still tapping his fingers along the table. "I'll have the shrimp scampi and lasagna." He and the waitress turned their attention to Judy, making her glance at the menu again for a brief moment.

"And I'll have the... Eggplant parmigiana and..." She glanced to Nick, silently asking if she really could order more food. The fox rolled his eyes and made a 'get on with it' gesture. "Five cheese ziti al forno," Judy finished. The waitress nodded and wrote their order down, before telling them she'd have it out to them as soon as she could and walked off again, taking their menus with her.

Nick reached over and plucked the dessert and drinks menu from the center of the table, going through it. He muttered a slight 'ooh' at one of the things listed, making Judy's ears perk up. "Anything good?" she asked.

Nick glanced up at her and turned the menu around, revealing to Judy something that made her let out an 'ooh' echoing Nick's. A picture of a pastry, filled with golden apples in some sort of sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sat before her. "That... Looks really good," she muttered. Nick nodded and turned the menu back around, continuing to go through it.

"Really wish they had mudslides here," he muttered. "Carrots, we might make another stop before we get back," he spoke a little louder this time.

"Are you kidding?" Judy sighed. "You've got wine right there, you want more alcohol?"

"Wine is good and all, but it's all a bit dry. And besides, I drink most liqour for the flavors. Not to get drunk." Nick slid the menu over to Judy, pushing himself back in his seat as he stared out the window. "I don't drink often as it is."

"And I don't drink at all," Judy said, taking the menu and going through it. There were other desserts – cheesecakes, pastries, and something like a parfait and a cupcake – but nothing else really caught her eye.

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Nick said dryly. Judy gave him a brief glare, to which he only smirked back. The fox frowned next, his eyes shifting to over Judy's shoulder. The rabbit turned in her seat slightly to see another red fox, this one dressed in jeans and a dress shirt, approaching. Judy looked back to Nick curiously, but the fox didn't meet her gaze, instead watching the other's approach as he took a sip of wine.

"Well look who it is," the newcomer said, stopping between Judy and Nick at their table.

"Long time no see, ah... Let's see, I know your name... Houston? Austin?" Nick said, looking up in fake thought as he came up with names.

"Dallas," the other fox growled.

"Right, right! Dallas!" Nick snapped his fingers, nodding as though he had recalled the name. "So, how're things? You still playing as Diego's errand boys?"

Dallas scowled at Nick, and it seemed only to deepen as the fox smirked back at him. It took a moment, and as Judy looked back and forth between them she debated saying something. Dallas sighed, letting his expression soften. "To answer your question, no. We aren't playing as Diego's 'errand boys' anymore. We're in charge of more important things."

"Oh? Like polishing his boots?" Nick quipped, his smirk growing as Dallas visibly grew more frustrated.

"At least we aren't touring around a country bunny," Dallas retorted. Judy sat up in her chair a bit, now staring at the standing fox.

"I think you might want to take that back," Nick commented. Dallas rolled his eyes, glancing at Judy.

"Why? You scared of country bumpkin here?" He asked.

"No, I'm more concerned what she's going to do to you," Nick replied. Judy was glaring daggers at Dallas, though the fox seemed oblivious to it.

"I'm not afraid of some cute little rabbit," Dallas sneered.

Judy launched herself from her seat at the red fox, tackling him to the ground as she grabbed his shirt with one paw, the other holding her fork. Nick acted faster than Judy expected, slipping from his seat and putting his paw on her chest, pushing her off of Dallas as she spat at the downed fox. "Now now, let's try to avoid bloodshed here, Carrots. I like this place." He chided, slowly pushing the rabbit back to her seat. Judy took deep breaths, shaking her head as she realized how easily she let her anger get to her. That was unlike her; something she would have to find the source of.

"Blasted rabbit," Dallas muttered, standing up and dusting himself off.

"Call me cute again," Judy hissed. Dallas seemed to listen, his ears pressing against his head as he watched Judy sit down and Nick lean against her seat.

"Houston," Nick started, grinning as Dallas hissed a correction to him. The well-dressed fox ignored the correction, continuing what he was saying. "Unless you want to end up missing an eye I suggest you go back to your buddies and stop trying to cause trouble."

Dallas began a retort, stepping forward, but Nick made a movement Judy couldn't see and the other fox backed off. He grumbled indecencies as he trudged off, returning to his table. Judy was surprised to see a zebra, wolf, and bear waiting, each one glaring at Nick – correction, _them._

"Friends of yours?" Judy asked, looking up as the waitress brought over their food and set the plates down. She uttered a quick thank you before the waitress nodded with a smile, and returned to doing her rounds.

"Long time ago, yes," Nick replied. Judy watched as he picked up a single shrimp and popped it into his mouth. "But we had some... Differences in ideals, and I left."

Judy let out an 'ah' as she began to cut her meal into smaller pieces. "Who's Diego?" she asked.

"The mob boss for Sahara Square," Nick explained. "Cheetah, real nasty guy. Has a scar over one eye, part of an ear missing. Not someone to hang out with."

"A mob boss?" Judy asked, surprised. "And he's roaming free?"

"Free is a loose term for it," Nick stated, eating another shrimp. "He has safe zones he can roam in, that even the ZPD won't go to, but there's also areas where the police and rival families will try to take him down."

"Do you know what the safe zones are?" Judy muttered after having a mouthful of parmagiana. She let out a 'mmm' at the flavor, savoring it as she waited for Nick's response.

"If I did, I wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, there's no reason for me to know. I'm not part of his family, and he has an uneasy truce with the Big family. We keep vague tabs what happens in his territory, but that's something every family does to one another."

Judy nodded, taking another bite. "An uneasy truce with the Big family?" She muttered. Nick must have overheard, as he nodded before taking a bite of his salmon.

"It's like that with most of the other families." Nick said through a mouthful of fish. "There's a respect to everything. Understanding of what invisible lines we can and can't cross."

"What's a line that shouldn't be crossed?" Judy asked, taking a bite of her ziti al forno, letting out another 'mmm' from the amazing flavor. Oh, she loved the food here.

"Well," Nick said, taking a moment to finish his current bite. "It should be obvious, but spilling the blood of someone from another family is a big no-no. So is moving in on their territory. And messing with their business – mostly."

"Mostly?"

"Mostly," Nick nodded, taking a sip of wine. "If you get customers naturally, that's all fine and dandy. But if you're actively trying to steal business, that causes problems."

Judy nodded, drinking in all of the information. "What are the other families?"

"Well, Diego Sanchez leads what're known as the 'Sandcats', and they have control over most of Sahara Square and some of Savannah Central. Likewise, there's Ruby Narirh, who has most of Savannah Central and some of Sahara Square." Nick took a pause to eat another piece of fish. "The Rainforest District is split between Sabine Beau and Artyom Fero, though Arty has control over the Canal District and Sabby has the Masrhlands. The Nocturnal District is run by someone known only as Count V, Outback Island by Joey Hopsin... Little Rodentia is, by proxy, run through the Mr. Big, who also has Tundratown. And... The last one, the Canyonlands. That's run by Kitsu Hantā."

"That's a lot of families," Judy commented.

"Mmhm. And that's not all of them, just the biggest ones." Nick took another bite as he spoke, his words becoming muffled. "But we all have this strange code we live by. I'm sure you'll learn it someday."

"Who's to say I'm joining?" Judy replied calmly. Nick raised an eyebrow as he paused mid-bite.

"Who's to say there's a choice?" Nick asked, though it was more of a statement.

Judy spoke again before she could stop herself. "And what's to keep me from just going to the ZPD with information on all the families?" The rabbit's eyes widened as she threw her paws over her mouth, almost sending her fork off the table in her haste.

"Because: A, you'd be dead first. B, now that I know that little idea is in your head, I can relay it to Mr. Big, who can in turn either keep a very close eye on you, have you iced, or make your life a hell. And C, because there's a reason the ZPD hasn't gotten involved." Nick's voice started out as a warning and threatening hiss, before evening out to his normal tone.

"Wh-Why haven't they?" Judy asked, taking a deep breath and thanking the stars she didn't mess up as much as she thought she had.

"Specifically, they don't get involved with the Big family," Nick said. "And the reason's very simple. Normally I'd leave it for Mr. Big to tell you himself, but I think it'd be best to do it myself before you and your cute fuzzy-wuzzy little tail try running off to the ZPD.

"You can't stop crime. But you _can_ control it."


	5. Another Day At The Office

Judy stared up blankly at the ceiling as she lay in bed, her mind replaying what Nick had told her.

 _"You can't stop crime. But you_ can _control it."_

Judy was surprised to learn of the less-than-legal ties to her current job and 'family', and that alone had her on edge and debating if she should leave them. She was a mammal who wanted to do good for everyone she could, and to make the world a better place. She had grown up thinking that the best way for her to do that was to be a police officer – something she had put her entire life into. But after that had gone down the drain, she had been kept distracted by the demands of life from finding an alternative.

And then, with that simple sentence, Nick had presented to her a different path.

Yes, she would sully her self-image of the virtuous bunny cop she had always wanted to be and, deep down, still was. Yes, she would need to resort to crossing the line between legal and illegal. Yes, she would have to take all of her childhood dreams of being a righteous, pure protector of the law to someone who actively and purposefully went against it.

But if it was the best way for her to make the world a better place after being a cop, then so be it. While she knew the path of crime was relatively dark, she could be her own light, her own hope, that led her through it. She wouldn't let herself be consumed and corrupted; she would rise above it. She would make the world a better place.

The only problem, was how.

~ óÓÒò ~

The next morning, Judy went about her routine as usual. Wake up, shower, eat breakfast, get to work, and do her job. There was one little interruption, though, an unexpected little bump that caught her off guard and changed her entire day.

When she went to eat breakfast, Nick was in the kitchen, chatting with a polar bear. This was strange, seeing as how she never saw the fox up and about at this hour – usually only late at night, or sometime just after noon. The reynard glanced in her direction and flicked an ear, his lazy-eyed smirk ever-so-slightly irritating her as she made her way to the fridge for a pastry. She was searching through the fridge before finally spotting a suitable breakfast – a blueberry tart, all alone in a small box in one corner. She began to reach for it, only to jump as Nick's voice sounded behind her.

"Hope you aren't trying to steal my breakfast, Carrots," he said. Judy whipped around and looked at Nick, almost smacking into his chest as he snickered. He reached beside Judy and grabbed the box, his muzzle brushing just against her cheek, before pulling out the box and turning it a bit, showing his name written on a previously hidden side in marker. Judy sighed softly in disappointment, turning back to the fridge to find something to eat as Nick stepped away and opened the box, taking a loud bite of his pastry.

It didn't take long for Judy to give up on her search and turn from the fridge, getting ready to shut it before Nick set his paw in the way, the other holding the tart to his mouth in mid-bite. "Hang on, Carrots," he said, though it was muffled by his food. He reached over Judy, almost forcing her to duck as he reached for something. Judy let out a grunt of annoyance as she brushed at random crumbs that fell onto her as Nick held his pastry in his mouth, using both paws to reach for something as she glared up at the fox until he pulled away.

He stepped back and offered Judy a similar box to his own, turning away as he used his free paw to remove the tart from his mouth. "That's for you," he said through a mouthful of food. Judy looked up at him warily, slowly accepting the box and opening it. Inside was a cream cheese danish, with shreds of orange something on top – a something that smelled a lot like carrots.

"This is for me?" Judy asked carefully. The fox nodded, continuing to eat his food. She watched him for a moment, noticing how he was eating around the center of the blueberry-filled pastry. She shook her head and lowered the box, eyeing the fox. "Who are you and what have you done with Nick?" she asked in a half-serious manner.

The fox paused as he was about to take another bite, looking at Judy curiously. Judy rolled her eyes. "We were stuck with each other yesterday and you were less of a jerk than usual. You paid for our dinner – which you insisted on having – and got me a dessert. And now a breakfast? And you haven't done anything rude to me aside from calling me Carrots, so I ask again: who are you and what have you done with Nick?"

Nick continued to stare at Judy, eyebrows raised in some level of disinterested curiousity as he lowered what was left of his meal into its box. "Who's to say I did any of that? Paid for dinner, got you your breakfast, all of that. Mr. Big _did_ tell us to get along, so not pushing as many buttons is a given if I want to keep my tail. Besides, a cute bunny has to have the most important meal of the day, right?"

Judy grit her teeth at being called cute again, but sighed and let it go. "Right, sure. I just didn't expect you to be... Kind."

"Mm. Well, guess your day is full of surprises. Mr. Big wants me to tag along with you to work today to help out." Judy's ears fell in disappointment at the news, already regretting her decision to get out of bed this morning. "I'm guessing it's so we get along better," Nick continued, turning the center of the blueberry tart on his fingertips, as if examining it, before eating it all in one bite. He let out a satisfied 'Mmm' and shut his eyes, clearly savoring the taste.

"You really like blueberries, huh?" Judy asked, deciding to try and take her mind off the inevitable frustrations she knew would come later in the day.

"Is it obvious?" Nick chuckled, licking his lips.

"Just a little," Judy said, giving a single quiet laugh. She began to take small bites of her danish, her stomach rumbling as she did so. She was hungrier than she thought, though, and began taking larger bites as she quickly devoured the pastry. Nick watched in amused silence, letting out a chuckle as the rabbit wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"Did you even taste it?" Nick quipped, resting against the island behind him.

"I did," Judy confirmed, licking her lips. "And it was delicious. Where'd you get it?"

"I know a guy who runs a bakery," Nick shrugged. "Little out-of-the-way place. Maybe I'll take you there someday, if you're a good little bunny."

Judy rolled her eyes, tossing her napkin away as she considered getting a drink before leaving. "Well if you're coming with me, you should get ready soon," she said. "I have to leave in a few minutes."

"What, you mean you wouldn't want to see me wearing this around you all day?" Nick chuckled, holding out his arms. Judy gave him an unamused glance, looking over the fox dressed in green boxers and a white tank top.

"Somehow, I don't think so." Judy said, smiling as she saw Nick's ears flick before he let out a chuckle.

"Alright then, party pooper. I'll be back." He turned around, flicking the rabbit's nose with the tip of his tail as he strode off. Judy suppressed an annoyed hiss at him, before walking over to the fridge and retrieving a bottle of water sized about for her. She shut the fridge and leaned against the door, sighing as she opened the water bottle and took a drink. She closed her eyes and rested her head against the cold, white aluminum.

She stayed like that for what seemed like a minute, snapping her eyes open as she heard Nick suddenly speak beside her. "Having a little nap there, Fluff?"

The rabbit jumped away, nearly losing her bottle of water in the process. She took a moment to get her breath under control, before shaking her head. "What time is it?" she asked worriedly.

"About time to get to work," Nick said, folding his arms. Judy gave him a quick once-over; the fox was dressed in slacks, a green-yellow tropical shirt, and a loose blue tie with purple stripes. He looked down at the watch on his wrist, ears falling and eyes widening slightly. "No, seriously, it's ten 'til."

Without a word, but rather a panicked expression, Judy began to make a sprint for the door. Nick followed behind her, thankfully keeping just as quiet as Judy snatched her jacket from the closet by the front door and sprinted into the freezing cold outside. She was nearly to the sidewalk before Nick called out for her, pointing to the garage. "It's faster to drive than run," he said, jingling his keys in one raised paw. Judy let out a sigh of slight relief as she turned and ran after him into the garage, jumping into the already-started car. She barely had time to shut the door before Nick was taking them out of the garage and onto the slick streets.

Neither one talked on the way there, instead letting the sound of faint thrash metal emitted from his radio. Judy kept her eyes glued to the clock at all times, willing time itself to go slower so she could arrive on time. More than a few times, she felt the vehicle slide uncomfortably far as Nick took corners faster than he should've, but each time they kept going. Clearly, he was just as much in a rush as she was.

When they arrived at the Tundratown Limo Service, Nick paused long enough for Judy to jump out and run inside. She greeted the moose at the desk as she ran to punch in, giving a sigh of relief as she glanced to the clock. It had only just struck 8, the time she was meant to be there. "Cutting it a bit close there," the moose commented.

"Sorry," Judy replied, slipping her jacket off. "I think I had a little trouble staying awake."

"I see," the moose said, not even looking to Judy as he straightened a stack of papers on his desk. "Make sure to get more rest tonight, then. Can't have you falling asleep on the clock."

"Of course, sir," Judy said, nodding slightly as she went into the back room. She set her jacket down on one of the lower bars of the coat rack, ears perking as she heard the front door open again.

"Ah, mister Wilde. I wasn't told you would be in today. Do you need anything?" The moose at the front desk asked.

"Actually, I was told to tag along with our newest hire for today." Nick replied. "Do you know where she is?"

"In the back room, getting set up for the day."

"Wonderful, thank you." Nick said. A moment later, the fox walked into the back room, paws in his pockets as he looked around, casual smirk back on his muzzle. "It's been a little while since I've been here."

"Oh?" Judy asked, looking around for her small cap she was supposed to wear. She knew it was around here somewhere. "Didn't think you'd ever need a reason to come here."

"Oh, I don't, unless work leads me here."

"Work as in..?" Judy asked, looking to Nick curiously. The fox let out a short laugh.

"You don't know about my day job, right. Well, you'll find out about it tomorrow, if Mr. Big keeps this up." Nick yawned, shaking his head. "So remind me what you do here all day, Carrots?"

Judy let out a small 'ah-ha' of success, finding her cap behind the coat rack. She turned to Nick as she dusted it off, before setting it on top of her head. It was a little large for her, but the black flat-topped cap was the only real thing she needed to wear on a daily basis here. "Clean the office and limos, organize and help fill out paperwork. Boring stuff."

Nick clicked his tongue, nodding. "Well, I'm here. So your day just got ten times more exciting."

Judy scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, because a fox that tells bad jokes makes my day exciting."

"Exactly," Nick chuckled. "So, what do we do first?"

"Well _first_ ," Judy said. "I need to make sure there's no customers anytime soon. Come on," She said, walking back out to the front.

~ óÓÒò ~

Judy grit her teeth as a small ball of paper bounced off her cap. "Nick, for the hundredth time, will you _stop that?"_ she hissed.

"Actually Carrots, this is just the seventy-third time." Nick quipped, tossing another small ball of paper at her cap. This one was larger than the others, nearly knocking her cap to the floor. "Seventy-fourth," he corrected.

Judy shook her head and tried to focus on the paperwork before her. Her day was almost over, her shift would end in about an hour or so. She just had to avoid killing that stupid fox until then.

All day long, Nick had been the single most irritating thing on the planet for her. Between his bad jokes, constant (failed) attempts at comedy, puns that made her want to tear her ears off, and his overall infuriating ability to hamper her progress, Judy had just about had enough of the fox. Pop-Pop was right, in a way – only the devil could make something this annoy-

Something sharp poked Judy in the cheek. She whipped her head around to see Nick leaning back in his seat, ears folded against his head and eyes wide. The rabbit looked down to try and find what had poked her – a paper airplane, made from a sticky note.

The bunny looked between the mess of paper balls and the lone paper airplane on the floor around her desk and the fox, slowly taking her cap off of her head and setting it over the paperwork she had been working on. It could wait for a few minutes, she decided.

Nick clearly realized what was about to happen, and slid down from his chair. "N-Now Carrots," he started. The rabbit didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence, leaping from where she stood and tackling the fox to the ground. He let out a yelp as Judy grabbed his shirt collar, pulling him up to her slightly.

"Nicholas Wilde, if you don't stop that incessant acting up I swear to you I'll -"

A cough interrupted the rabbit, making her and Nick turn to look at the doorway. The moose from the front desk was stood there, his coat slung over his shoulder as he stared down at the two with concern. "Uh... Goodnight, miss Hopps. Shift's over. And, please, don't kill the fox? We kind of need him."

Judy grit her teeth again as she let go of Nick, the fox resting on his elbows. "Sorry, sir, I guess I let my temper get a hold of me," she said.

"Believe me, miss Hopps, no one blames you. Few can stand to be around mister Wilde for a whole day. Have a good night, though." The moose nodded again, before walking out of sight.

Judy sighed and stood up, taking a few steps back from Nick. The fox didn't seem very frustrated, instead wearing an amused expression as he stared up at Judy. "You know, I was starting to think I wouldn't get you _hopping_ mad," he joked.

Judy shot him something of a death glare, before sighing and rubbing her paw against her face and returning to her paperwork, filing it away to finish another day. "Are you trying to get me to lose my temper?" Judy asked. "Because if you didn't notice, I literally had you against the wall in under half a minute."

"I could've gotten you off of me," Nick replied, standing up and brushing himself off.

"But you didn't."

"But I didn't," he confirmed.

Judy took a moment to continue getting her things together, before an idea struck her. She turned to the fox, a sly grin spreading across her face as he raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why Nick, are you insinuating that you _enjoy_ being under a bunny?"

The fox's ears fell and Judy swore the inside of his ears gew more red, before his usual smirk returned. "I'm not sure, Carrots, are _you_ insinuating that you like being on top of a fox?"

Now it was Judy's turn to blush, the insides of her ears growing pink and her cheeks growing warm. Nick grinned in victory at this, chuckling as he turned and began to walk to the exit.

Judy shook her head and began to walk after him a moment later, muttering just low enough that Nick couldn't hear.

"Dumb fox."


	6. Pep Talk

The next morning, when Judy woke, she stared up at the ceiling and debated how much she wanted to deal with Nick today. After his constant pestering yesterday, she didn't have much patience left for the fox. Her reluctance didn't last long, however, as she soon forced herself out of bed. "Better to just get this over with," she muttered, rifling through her closet for something to wear. Most of her clothes were dirty, piled up in one corner of the room – she hadn't been able to get them to a laundromat yet, and all the washing machines available here were either far too large or far too small.

Settling on a pink plaid shirt and blue jeans, an outfit she rememered fondly from her parents' farm, she stepped from her room and made her way to the kitchen. Nick was nowhere in sight, unlike yesterday, leaving the rabbit to search the fridge for anything she could have as a breakfast. She settled on a simple bagel – plain, no cream cheese, as it was either out of her view or they didn't have any. With a stifled sigh, she began wandering the halls after her quick meal.

She had no real destination, though her feet did bring her in the direction of Nick's room. It was a bit odd that he hadn't gotten up yet, if he had work. Or in the very least, that the two hadn't run into one another yet. She stared at the door to the fox's room for a few moments, before knocking on it absentmindedly. When there was no response, she knocked again, until a groan of clear irritation sounded from the other side – well, at least she had found Nick.

Seconds later, the door was torn open a few inches, Nick staring at Judy through the crack. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked exhausted. "What?" he snapped. Judy leaned back, taken aback by his hostility, before setting her face to one of equal annoyance.

"Don't you have work? It's nearly nine in the morning!" She asked.

"I do have work. But I don't go there until noon," Nick sighed. He leaned back and ran a paw over his face, growling as he shook his head. "I was trying to get another few hours of sleep."

"Well you could've told me," Judy replied. "I would've left you alone then."

"Why didn't you just wait in the first place?" Nick hissed. He let out another groan as he rubbed his eyes. "Fine. Whatever, I'm awake now. I'll be out in a few minutes." Without waiting for a response, the fox shut the door in Judy's face. The rabbit stared at it, quietly trying to keep herself from losing her temper again, before gritting her teeth and walking away. She didn't pay attention to where she went, as long as it was away from that spiteful red-furred irritant.

Not long after, Judy found herself before the door of her only real 'friend' in the Big family: Fru-Fru's. The door itself was small, so small that Judy would have to re-enact her slide from the Weaselton chase to get in, and she was certain that doing so would ruin the room inside. So instead, she settled on tapping it with a single finger, sitting down in front of the door as she waited for the small shrew to answer. When Fru-Fru did open the door, she gasped in delight at seeing Judy – likely a result of the two being so busy they hadn't seen one another all month.

"Judy! Oh, I missed you!" the shrew exclaimed, face beaming in happiness. Judy let out a small laugh as the smaller mammal rushed forward and did her best to hug the rabbit, and Judy carefully did the same.

"It's good to see you too," she said.

Fru-Fru let out a small giggle, before gasping and looking down at her outfit. "Oh, I'm so sorry! I wasn't done getting ready for today! I look like a mess..."

Judy looked over the shrew's outfit: a simple green dress with slightly darker green hearts dotted around it, and an even darker green ribbon tied at the waist. "I think you look great," Judy said, offering a smile.

"Aw.. Thank you," Fru-Fru said, grinning despite the lack of conviction in her voice. "Oh, but you're not here to tell me how I look. What's going on? You don't normally just show up here, though I do like the company."

Judy let out a sigh. "Your dad has decided to have me and Nick stick together for a while, and..." She let out another, more frustrated sigh. "He's just... Such a... Such a jerk, you know?"

"Oh, sweetie, he's like that with _everyone_." Fru-Fru reached out and set a paw on Judy's leg reasurringly. "Especially in the beginning. But, he grows on you after a while."

"Normally I'd share your optimism," Judy admitted. "But ever since we first met, he's been nothing but-"

"A butt?" Fru-Fru suggested with a giggle. "That's who he is."

"Does he have to be like that?" Judy asked. She did manage a smile at Fru-Fru's comment, though.

"Well, if he wasn't, he wouldn't be him," Fru-Fru said. "Trust me, though, if you can tough him out long enough, you'll start to like him. Or at least, not want to strangle him. But until then, try to not hurt him? My daddy kind of likes having him around."

Judy chuckled at that. "I'll try, but no promises."

"Judy," Fru-Fru said, staring at the rabbit sternly before giggling. "I have to go get ready now, sweetie. But come see me again tomorrow, maybe we can have a girl's day out?"

"I think I need one of those," Judy laughed, giving a full smile to the shrew. "Thanks, Fru-Fru. I'll talk to you again soon."

With a quick wave, the shrew disappeared back into her room, leaving a much happier Judy to pick herself up off the floor and begin making her way back towards Nick's room. Fru-Fru had a point, Judy had to at least give Nick a chance. After all, the majority of her time spent around him was in silent hostility. She had only really spent two days with him so far – that was nothing to judge him off of. No, she needed to give him a chance. If nothing else, to try and figure out how to avoid killing him.

That would be bad.


	7. Car Parts

"So where exactly do you work, again?" Judy asked, glancing to Nick as he drove his car through the frozen streets of Tundratown.

"A car shop owned by a friend of mine, and Mr. Big." Nick said, eyes fixated on the road ahead.

"A car shop, huh? You don't seem like one to sell them," the rabbit commented, turning to look at Nick.

"Oh, I can be, believe me. But this isn't that kind of car shop – we're more of a... I guess a scrap shop? We get wrecked and broken cars, and either fix them if they're worth the trouble, or else scrap them for pieces. We also do minor mechanic work." Nick yawned widely – despite it being just past eleven, the fox seemed no more awake than before. Judy would be lying if she said she didn't slightly regret waking him when she did.

"Oh." Judy turned her gaze back to the window, watching the snow-covered sidewalks and those walking them as they went past.

"Hey, Carrots, next time you have to come to work with me, do me a favor and try to _not_ wake me up?" Nick said, yawning a second time. Judy yawned as well, and shook her head – she forgot how contagious yawns could be. "There's not enough coffee in the world to deal with this more than a few times a year."

"I'm sure you could strike a deal with Snarlbucks. It's kind of their thing – you give them money, they give you coffee."

"Yeah, but it tastes like coffee, and that's the problem," Nick groaned. "I don't want my coffee to taste like coffee."

"So you want coffee with your creamer and milk?" Judy asked.

"More like espresso with my creamer and milk." Nick sighed, licking his lips. "A nice, warm cup of- WOAH"

The fox slammed on the brakes as the two neared a red light; Nick had apparantly been so focued on daydreaming on coffee all of a sudden that he hadn't noticed the light change ahead of them. Judy found herself nearly flung into the dashboard, only saved by the sudden stiffness of her seatbelt, before it yanked her back into the seat.

"This is why I needed more sleep," Nick muttered, resting his head on the steering wheel.

Judy looked at him in mild irritation, before it shifted to curiousity. "Nick, we didn't get back that late. Why didn't you sleep?"

"I just couldn't," Nick sighed. "Mind wouldn't rest."

"Oh," Judy muttered.

The remainder of the ride was in silence, as before long the two were parked at what initially seemed like a warehouse of sorts. The only defining feature was a single word, a name, sitting on the front of the building's otherwise bland brick facade. "Capulet's."

As Judy began to unbuckle herself, Nick set a paw on her shoulder. "Hold on, Carrots, watch this." He nodded to the street ahead of them, more specifically a stop sign now far down. "Three, two, one, and here... We... Go." He snapped his fingers and, as if on que, Judy could hear the distant roar of an engine. It rapidly approached, before a large blue vehicle passed them by, tearing down the road at a dangerous speed. Judy, while somewhat horrified by the blatant disregard of the speed limit, couldn't help but let out a laugh of victory as, the moment the car passed the stop sign, police sirens erupted from the same street and a cruiser turned the corner after the vehicle. Not a block later, and the blue car was pulled over.

"Every week, and he never learns," Nick chuckled. "Alright Fluff, come on."

Without another word, Nick hopped out of the car and began to walk towards the front doors of the building, not even looking back to see if Judy was following him or not. She was, keeping just a step or two behind him as he walked into an office. It seemed rather plain and appeared as if it existed only as an afterthought; pale blue carpeting covered the floor, a pair of flourescent lights hanging from the ceiling, several folding chairs lining one wall opposite a cheap desk, computer chair, and filing cabinet.

Nick continued to go past the desk and pushed his way through another door, and Judy suddenly heard a wide range of sounds. Talking, metal being cut with a saw, music blaring, paint being sprayed. She poked her head into the room beyond.

It was, well, a massive garage. Several vehicles were in separate corners of the large room, each one surrounded by three or four mammals who were working on it in one way or another. There was also car parts, tools, and other miscellaneous things within arms reach of the mammals working on it.

Laughter, hearty and booming, suddenly rose over most of the sounds. "Hey-ey, Nick-ay!" A large black bear grinned and held out his arms, a dirty rag tossed over his shoulder as he stepped towards the fox and bunny. Nick copied his actions, snickering as if he had heard a good joke.

"Aurelio! How's it going, pal?"

"Ah, same old, same old. You know how it is, you were here just the other day. So- hey, what's with the bunny?" The bear tilted his head and looked down to Judy curiously. Nick beat her to the explanation, making the rabbit huff in slight annoyance.

"Eh, the big boss wants us to get along, so we have to tag along with one another to work." The fox shrugged, before looking around the garage. "So did we get anything good in while I was gone?"

"Get anything good?" Aurelio laughed at this. "We got one of the best things we coulda gotten! Come look!"

With that, the bear walked towards another door at the back of the garage. Judy was surprised to see yet another garage, this one packed with vehicles that all seemed damaged beyond repair. Vans turned into convertibles, pickups missing an entire axel, cars with no engines. The bear led the two beyond all of these, stopping at the very back and holding out his paw as if showing off a trophy. Nick's tail began to sway, and Judy could almost see his grin, despite his back being to her.

"Well she _is_ a gem," Nick said. "Whaddya think, Carrots?"

Judy looked at where Aurelio was gesturing and, much to her surprise, there was a ZPD cruiser. It had clearly seen much, much better days – a wheel was missing, the back left of the vehicle had been forced to the center back, a bumper was missing, windows broken, and airbags deployed.

"Some drunk hit the car while the officer was pulling someone else over. Real glad no one got hurt from that." The bear scratched under his chin, glancing down at the two curiously. Nick was clearly pleased with the cruiser's being there, but Judy was significantly less enthusiastic. For some reason, to see the cruiser in this place seemed wrong.

"I..." Judy fumbled for words, hoping to voice her displeasure, before giving a small sigh. She reminded herself that the cruiser was likely damaged beyond repair and that the best thing that could happen was for every available part to be reused. "I... Like it. What are you going to do with it?"

"Well, the ZPD tends to just let us take it apart before we give 'em the pieces back. A bit of a weird system, but we get paid and they reuse the parts." Aurelio crossed his arms, still staring at the ruined cruiser. "Besides, sometimes they let us keep some bits. You have any idea how useful those bumpers are?"

"Yeah, I do," Judy muttered, her mind briefly turning back to the time she had been in the ZPD. She shook her head to clear herself of the thoughts – that was in the past.

"Alright, big guy, so what do you have for me today?" Nick asked, turning to his friend.

"Well, we've got a few engines that need work, and all of us are too big to get into where we need to get to." The bear gave a little huff before continuing. "I swear, all the engine makers are mice or something. They don't think about us bigger mammals!"

"Maybe they're just trying to tell you to go on a diet?" Nick joked, turning to walk out of the room. Judy followed with Aurelio behind her, the bear laughing heartily.

"You sound like my wife!"

~ óÓÒò ~

"Carrots, can you feed me the serpentine belt?" Nick asked, reaching out a paw from under the car he was working on and pointing to the top. Judy had no trouble hearing him, as it was later in the day and many of the other workers had left, including Aurelio. Nick was finishing up the last vehicle he needed to fix before he and Judy could head home.

The rabbit had to admit, she had learned quite a bit about cars today. From simple things like changing tires, to slightly more complicated things, such as what he was doing now – replacing a serpentine belt. And, to the fox's credit, he had been quite patient and helpful with showing her what to do when she insisted on helping. Occasionally she would make a simple mistake, which Nick would point out and correct with a snarky comment.

As the day wore on, however, Nick decided he needed to take over so they could return home sooner. Judy was surprised at how quick he was, most things taking him only a half an hour at most, though Judy had to admit that the problems with the vehicles were somewhat simple, even for her.

She was brought back to attention as something flicked against her leg – and old, rubber belt that looked nearly worn through and ready to snap with a little tension. She looked around and grabbed a newer, more intact belt from the stool beside her before climbing onto the front of the engine. "Uh, I set it groove side down, right?" She asked hesitantly, not wanting to risk messing up an engine.

"Are there grooves on the pulleys?" Nick asked.

Judy looked down at the engine, doing her best to spot what Nick was talking about. She was far from a mechanic, she realized, but did her best to recall what was what. "Uh... Yes?"

"Then there's your answer," Nick replied. "Set it on the first pulley, and feed it down to me. I'll take care of the rest."

The rabbit nodded and did as she was told, carefully pushing the rest of the belt down to Nick. She watched as his paw snagged it and began to carefully loop it under and around several other pulleys, before he tried to loop it over the last one. He grunted being unable to do so, however, and let out an annoyed groan. "Carrots, can you hand me the ratchet again?"

Without a word, Judy hopped down from the car engine and grabbed the tool Nick needed. As she went to set it in his awaiting paw, however, she paused and grinned. "The what?" She asked.

"The ratchet. I used it to get the belt off?"

"I don't know where it is," Judy said innocently.

"Seriously?" Nick hissed, grunting in discomfort as he changed positions under the engine.

"Seriously," Judy confirmed. "Maybe you kicked it by accident?"

"I think you would've heard that with those radar dishes you call ears," Nick chuckled, before letting out another hiss. He sighed, the tip of his tail giving an irritated flick. "Can you look around for it?"

"I already did," Judy replied. "I don't see it."

Nick gave up, giving a groan filled to the brim with frustration as he pushed himself out from under the engine and sat up, looking at Judy with something akin to disappointment. The rabbit, stuffing the wrench in the back pocket of her pants, smiled innocently before putting up her empty paws. The fox groaned again and went to slap his palm against his forehead, before pausing just before the grease-covered glove would hit him. "I need that to finish," he muttered, getting up and walking off. Judy could hear him rummaging through a toolbox a few cars over. Judy took quick action, carefully and quietly setting the ratchet just under the engine Nick was working on.

When the fox returned with another ratchet and got down to resume his work, he froze upon seeing the one Judy had placed. She tried to hold back a giggle, covering her mouth when the fox picked it up and slowly turned to her. The look of irritation mixed with mock betrayal on his face was all it took for Judy to start laughing. The fox shook his head and went back under the engine as Judy let her laughter die down, climbing onto the stool beside her to wait for Nick to finish. A few minutes later, the fox reemerged and set the first ratchet on the engine, walking away to return the one he had taken.

When he came back, he took the first ratchet and tossed it in a small toolbox by Judy's stool, before taking off his gloves and tossing those in as well. "Alright, I'm done. Let's get out of here, Carrots."

She gladly agreed.

 **So, this took way longer to get out than I expected. And I realize that the story has seemed a bit... Slow thus far. But don't worry, this is the last of that - we have some actual progress with Judy and her rise starting in the next chapter! I just hope to keep you all from waiting so long this time.**


	8. Tension

Ever since those first few days, Nick and Judy had been more or less stuck with one another. Despite their initial grievances, Mr. Big insisted on the two working out their differences, in the very least. So, day after day and week after week, one would accompany the other to work. At first, it was still a frustrating thing to both of them – they clearly got on one another's nerves, but over time, something akin to friendship emerged.

At Judy's workplace, Nick had begun to help Judy clean up and do her paperwork. At Nick's work, Judy began to learn more about cars than she thought there was to learn, and had been helping to reach areas that even Nick found it difficult to access. So it wasn't much of a surprise to either of them when they began to join one another on the weekends, as well; one weekend, Judy decided what the two would do, and the other weekend, Nick decided. And on Sunday, Judy spent her free time with Fru-Fru – a weekly "girl's night out", where the small shrew was accompanied by several of her friends, Judy, and some of the sparse few female polar bears Mr. Big had employed.

It was on one of these weekends when Nick and Judy were called to Mr. Big's office late in the afternoon. The two had been returning from a day of window shopping for an upcoming birthday when it happened.

Upon entering the office, Judy was surprised to notice how... _Tense_ it was. Not just the mammals inside, but the air itself. A thick, oppressive feeling of unease and anxiety could be felt, leading Judy to realize that, for whatever reason they had been called here, it wasn't good.

Nick stood beside her, back straight, arms at his side. Judy mimicked his posture, waiting until Mr. Big himself was sat down onto the desk before them. The elderly shrew wasted no time in explaining what was happening. "It appears that we have a problem," he started. "I have just received word that a member of the Sandcats was recently attacked by a member of another family – and on our territory. Normally this wouldn't cause so much concern, but what he was carrying with him speaks otherwise."

Mr. Big nodded to one of the polar bears, who set a khaki satchel on the desk. "Inside of this satchel are papers hinting at Diego expanding his family in areas he was not welcome. He received unexpected backlash and seems to want our assistance in fixing whatever wrong he has done. But if the papers we have here are right, it could very well put us in a bad position."

Mr. Big paused, looking between Nick and Judy. The two glanced at one another before the rabbit asked: "Why? What do the papers say?"

Mr. Big sighed softly, leaning back in his chair. "According to them, there is a rogue ZIA agent who is starting his own empire in Downtown, and with light ZPD backing. Diego found out and tried to push out the newcomer, but his attack did not go as planned. He was not prepared for the amount of resistance and is currently losing ground to the new family."

"Wait wait wait," Judy interrupted. "A rogue ZIA agent with ZPD backing?" Mr. Big nodded at this. "Who's starting his own 'family' and is moving in on another family's territory?" Again, the shrew nodded. "How could this happen?"

"There was no family in Downtown, as it was too close to the center of politics and the ZPD. So, no one thought to even keep an eye on that area. The worst we saw was petty gangs that quickly got snuffed out." The shrew paused here, before looking down, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in thought. "What this means, I'm not sure. Perhaps the ZPD is tired of us ruling the underground and is deciding to try and do so itself. But it's become quickly apparent that the new family has been gathering strength without us noticing."

"And what does that mean for us?" Nick asked.

"What that means for you," Mr. Big paused here and stared at the two of them, as if internally debating something. "Is that you have a job to do. I will inform both of your bosses of your leave of absence for as long as this takes, but I want the two of you to find out if what these papers say is true. Speak to Diego – he and I will arrange an escort to retrieve you on Monday. If he has proof, then return to me. We will have to go from there."

The rabbit and fox nodded and began to turn to leave, before Judy paused and turned back to ask a question. "Sir, why us?"

"Why do I choose you two?" Mr. Big asked, raising an eyebrow as Judy nodded. "Nicholas has a way with words and knows how to handle rough situations. As for you, I know full well of your background. Skills that you learned could be useful if something happens. Not to mention that I have been told that you both seem to be getting along quite well." The shrew chuckled at this, before giving an amused wave. "And besides, who would expect a fox and bunny to cooperate enough to investigate anything?"

When he was met with silence, Mr. Big simply gave a nod, a silent dismissal to the fox and rabbit. Nick was out the door first, but a quiet call of her name from the desk caused Judy to turn around. Mr. Big beckoned her over to him and, with a glance at the fox as he waited patiently at the doorway, she went back to the smaller mammal. "Yes, sir?"

"I know you still have some of your belongings from your brief time with the ZPD," the shrew rumbled. "Including protective gear. My advice is to use it – under the outfit that is now waiting in your room. Police blue will draw more attention than a simple suit."

Judy nodded once, not wanting to argue with the lack of mobility the suit would give her, not to mention how hot it would be in the warmer districts. "Is there anything else?" she asked quietly.

"If Nicky says something is wrong, trust him. He has been in dangerous situations before." The shrew leaned back in his chair, raising his voice to a level where he was sure Nick could hear him. "You two should get some rest. Enjoy tomorrow. And we'll all hope that this really is just nothing."

Judy and Nick both nodded a farewell to the shrew, before walking out of the office. They were silent as they went down the hall, not saying a word to one another as they parted ways, but instead giving a respectful nod. They would see one another tomorrow, so they could talk things over. But for now, they had an unspoken agreement to listen to their boss, and get some rest.

Judy let out a sigh as she walked into her room. It was now more appropriately sized for the bunny, with a bed her size in one corner and a desk in the opposite. She walked over to the desk and picked up one of the few framed pictures she had there, running a thumb over the slightly dusted glass. It revealed a picture of her parents, a handful of her closest siblings, and herself, all staring up into the camera with large smiles. She smiled back at the image, remembering the day – she was just getting ready to leave Bunnyburrow for the ZPD Academy. Her parents had been scared, as was she, but they were also excited and surprisingly supportive. Her closest family members were there to congratulate her, each one wishing her luck.

Keeping the smile on her face, Judy set the picture down and turned to her nearby closet. Inside held very few clothes aside from jackets, her single hoodie, and a few spare blankets. But none of that was what she was looking for.

She reached far back into the closet, feeling her fingers meet a familiar, stretchy fabric. A wave of anxiety hit her and she almost let go, but she quickly regained her composure and reached up higher, plucking the outfit out of the closet by its hangar. She stared down at it as she slowly walked to her bed, smile fading from her face as a sea of emotions churned in her.

Happiness. Bitterness. Disappointment. Pride.

She set the uniform down beside the new one sitting on her bed; a rabbit sized two-piece black suit, with a matching tie – the uniform of someone working under a crime boss. And beside it, its opposite: a bright blue, gray and black uniform of someone meant to protect the law.

The rabbit stared down at the outfits, running a paw over the police uniform. Something within her ached, a yearning of her childhood dream long since crushed. But another part of her burned, a belief that she could still live up to that dream. She looked back and forth between the two, Nick's voice from weeks before echoing in her mind.

"You can't stop crime. But you _can_ control it."

That alone let the fire of her belief burn more, overwhelming the ache she felt. Carefully, she took the suit and drew it over her police uniform, carefully positioning it so that it covered the outfit entirely. That was it, she realized. She wasn't the bad guy. She could look the part, but deep down, underneath the exterior, she would always be Judy Hopps, the first ever ZPD rabbit officer. Helping mammals in need. Being a good role model for the little children she would pass by. Rising above the hate she knew was out there, in the world.

Making the world a better place.


	9. Sandcats

"Alright, Carrots. You ready?" Nick asked.

Judy took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as she looked up at the fox. He looked back at her with something resembling indifference, though she was sure that was more because of who stood before them than anything. A cheetah - tall and slender, in a tan suit with a white undershirt - holding open the door to a black SUV mini-limo. The interior was a smooth, black pleather, with matching carpeting and tinted windows.

The rabbit nodded, taking a deep breath. "Alright, then, ladies first," Nick said, gesturing to the door. Judy glanced at him in time to see the faint hint of a smirk on his muzzle appear, before she climbed into the vehicle. Nick followed right behind her, and the cheetah behind him. Nick sat beside Judy, buckling himself in as the cheetah sat opposite them and tapped on the window that separated them from the front seat.

The vehicle rumbled and hummed as it left for its destination. Initially, the trip was made in silence, but finally the cheetah spoke. "I'm assuming you know what you two are being sent out here for?"

Judy pursed her lips, remembering to let Nick do most of the talking, seeing as he had much more experience in this than she did. "We had a vague idea, but is there anything specific we should know before meeting with Mr. Sanchez?"

"I'm sure he'll tell you anything you don't know himself," the cheetah replied. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you, the boss has been on edge lately – _very_ on edge. I wouldn't make sudden movements if you want to keep your heads."

"Noted," Nick said calmly, glancing to Judy. She gave a nod, before turning her gaze outside the window, watching the frost on the windows melt away as they traveled to the warmer district. Nick and the cheetah continued the occasional idle chat, but it was little more than comments about sports or business. It seemed to her that they were somewhat in the same position for their respective bosses.

Their journey came to an end when the SUV rolled to a stop in a surprisingly busy part of town. The cheetah stood up before the engine shut off and walked to the door, peering outside of it before shoving it open. He stood outside as the fox and rabbit jumped out after him, both giving a surprised gasp at the heat. In the distance, Judy could see the massive heaters that kept this region so warm, the air between her and them shimmering from the heat.

"This way," the cheetah instructed, gesturing behind him. Judy turned to see a large three-story building, bright lights and a sombrero slowly rotating on its roof.

"We're going to... A casino?" Judy asked, walking in that direction.

"Well, yeah," Nick said, offering a quiet laugh. "One of the legal ways to scam hundreds of mammals all at once. Lose a thousand bucks, get ten thousand back."

"While I'm sure our boss would describe a casino another way, you're not wrong," the cheetah commented. "The legality of the casino ensures some protection from the ZPD."

"But from what I've heard, that seems to be an issue now, isn't it?" Nick asked testingly. The cheetah offered a grunt in response, leading the way without another word. Judy continued to walk alongside Nick, tugging at the collar of her shirt. She had quickly come to the decision that she did _not_ like suits – though she liked dresses even less, they offered more mobility and weren't nearly as hot. Nick glanced down at the rabbit as they neared the entrance, and she looked up at him curiously. Nick looked away without saying anything, giving a nod to the lion that held the door open for them.

The air inside was surprisingly cool, and Judy gave a slight shiver as the temperature suddenly changed. Despite the large amount of mammals inside of the building, it was kept at a cool temperature that felt just right. The inside was bright and loud – flashing lights and screens were everywhere, and it seemed that each light was accompanied with its own sound effect. The inside was loud, as well – louder than Judy would've expected. From slot machines that rang out buzzes or the ringing of coins, to table games like blackjack or poker where mammals cheered in victory or defeat, it was as loud as one could expect. An unexpected amount of mammals were present during this time.

The cheetah continued to lead Nick and Judy along to one side, stopping at an elevator and pressing a button to call it down. The three waited in silence before stepping onto the elevator once it arrived, the cheetah pressing a button for the top floor. The silence persisted as the three rose up, and continued as they stepped out of the elevator and into a short hallway. At the far end was a set of wooden doors, and beyond it was something of a conference room, complete with a long table and nearly a dozen chairs. An ashtray was the sole ornament on the table, positioned by the chair at the front of the table. Three of the room's four walls were composed of glass windows, letting those inside peer out and into Sahara Square. The city below was swarming with life, with mammals going about their day and cars driving along the roads.

It struck Judy that none of them knew what was going on. That there was a massive system of crime bosses among them, that they were unknowingly helping to support said bosses. Or, if they did know, they didn't care. The rabbit tilted her head slightly as she peered outside, watching as a rhino couple exited their car and meandered towards the casino, talking and laughing. She formed a small smile as she watched them, before turning around at a hiss from Nick. The red fox gestured for her to get onto the seat beside him, before he turned a to face the doorway.

Judy scrambled into the seat beside Nick and began to idly look out the window. A moment later, the doors opening drew her attention back to them. Nick shot up and straightened his back, and Judy followed an instant later. A sheep, dressed similarly to the cheetah who had accompanied Nick and Judy, walked into the room and stood to one corner, facing Nick and Judy. The bunny leaned over to Nick and quietly asked "Is that Mr. Sanchez?"

"No," Nick whispered back.

Next walked in a coyote in a similar suit, and he stood in the corner parallel to the sheep. Again, Judy leaned over to Nick, asking "Is _that_ Mr. Sanchez?"

"No," Nick hissed back.

The third mammal to walk in was a grizzly bear, dressed in the same tan suit as his fellow mammals, who stood just to the left of the center chair at the opposite end of the table. He stared down and inspected the rabbit and fox quietly and, despite this, Judy leaned over and asked again. "That _has_ to be him, right?"

"Stop talking, stop talking, _stop talking_ ," Nick hissed.

Judy listened and sat up again, staring ahead. The grizzly bear pulled the seat next to him back and turned it around, and Judy watched it bounce twice before the bear turned it around again. In the chair sat a sand cat, roughly as tall as Judy, wearing a comically large sombrero. His face seemed somewhat smushed and his cloudy blue eyes were almost hidden under the rim of his large hat. His cream colored fur stood out in comparison to the black suit he wore, a white shirt and red tie making him stand out from the other mammals in the room. He stared over at the rabbit and fox, almost glaring, as he gnawed at the lit cigar in his mouth. With a sigh, he took it out and set it in the ash tray, leaning forward and clearing his throat.

"Ah, _Se_ _ñor_ Wilde. A part of me had hoped I would meet with you. Though I was unaware _Señor_ Big had enlisted the aid of a rabbit..." Much to Judy's surprise, his voice was light and a bit cheerful. She had expected something more akin to a smoker's growl or, similar to the fennec she had arrested, an ironically deep voice.

"She's been with us for some time, and has proven herself a valuable addition to the family," Nick reassured the crime boss.

"I will trust your boss' judgement then. Let's waste no time, _s_ _í_?" The sand cat made a small passing gesture, and the sheep from the corner walked over to Nick and Judy and slid a manilla folder to them. Nick set one paw on top of it and drew it closer, but left it unopened as the sheep returned to his position. With a nod from Diego, Nick opened the folder and began to take out the small stack of papers.

He glanced over them briefly, before passing each one to Judy. She took each paper and read over it more carefully, spending more time on each. There was fourteen pages in total, each one detailing certain aspects of Diego's problem. From how he was losing ground within the district, to how some of his closer business allies were disappearing or being found dead in their homes with no sign of foul play. There were a few images, one of which caught Judy's eye – a picture of a hare, dressed in a fine suit, with distinct zebra-like markings on his cheeks and ears. It was hard to make out any specific details beyond this, as the image was from a CCTV camera, and very blurry.

"As you can tell from the papers," Diego suddenly spoke. "This is something that has been tricky for us to deal with. This new family, the _dolor_ that they are, has been slowly moving in on our territory. They have been taking our business and our business partners, and either killing the ones who don't join, or ruining their lives. And as I'm sure you can imagine, that isn't very good for business."

"It never is," Nick sighed. He was going through the papers a second time, this time going through them slowly and taking in all the information. He gave an occasional nod or some small sound of intrigue as he went through the papers.

From what Judy could tell, while there was evidence to support Diego's need for support, it wasn't as clear that it was for the reason he'd said. A brief glance to Nick told her that he felt the same way and, through an unspoken agreement, he began to speak. "Well, Mr. Sanchez, while I see evidence enough to say that you could need our aid, I can't say that there's enough to warrant me telling our boss that we need to risk the lives of our own family members." Judy couldn't help but notice the flickers of anger and fear that flashed in the mob boss's eyes as he sat back in his seat, a somewhat defeated expression coming across his face, as if he knew where Nick was going with this. "Would you mind if we took these with us to let Mr. Big himself review them and judge our involvement? I'm sure it wouldn't take long, no more than a few days, an-"

Nick's voice was drowned out by the sound of glass cracking behind them. In that instant, everyone in the room ducked down. Judy shot Nick a panicked look, who motioned for her to stay down. As the glass cracked again, she winced. One of the mamamls on the other side of the room was saying something. "Sir, we have to get you out of here!"

"Judy, grab the files, we're leaving!" Nick hissed. Judy quickly shot her head up from the chair and grabbed the folders, dragging them down with her as the glass behind them finally broke. Though she couldn't hear it, a quick glance behind her revealed the glass to have caved in in two spots, and in the center was a small hole. She didn't need her police academy knowledge to know it was sniper fire, and from the looks of it, one made it through.

The cheetah from before called out her and Nick's names, shouting for them to follow him. Nick slipped from his chair and, alongside Judy, the two ducked under the large table and followed the cheetah outside and into the hallway, the wooden doors being shut just in time to prevent a fourth sniper shot. Of the two elevators that led to their current floor, Nick and Judy were ushered into the one opposite of Sanchez. With only Nick and the cheetah in the elevator with her, Judy let out a shaky breath. The sudden gunfire had her startled, to say the very least.

A quick glance to the cheetah revealed him frowning and listening carefully to his earpiece. Without looking down, he spoke aloud. "Wilde, live fire below. Be ready. We're moving to my car, I'll get you two back to Mr. Big."

"Right," Nick replied. "What about Sanchez?"

"It's best to worry about yourselves right now," was the response.

"So you want us to help, but not tell us what you'll be doing with your boss?" Nick asked, a hint of disapproval in his voice.

The cheetah sighed. "We have several doubles on standby for this situation. We'll get one each into a different vehicle and disperse further into our territory from there."

"And I take it that was your plan, Mike?" Nick asked, a slight smirk tugging at his lips as he looked up.

Again, the cheetah sighed. "I may have suggested it after your conversation. But it was never seriously considered until recently. But yes, I was given credit."

"Atta boy," Nick grinned. Judy was still staring at the doors to the elevator when several clanks from both sides drew her attention. She looked at Mike to see that the cheetah was checking over a small handgun before moving into a combat stance. Beside her, Nick was doing the same with his own firearm – which she hadn't even been aware of him having. It was a longer black pistol, with what appeared to be a compensator at the end. The police part of her became curious as to how he aqcuired the weapon, as most lethal firearms were heavily regulated within the city-state. But the part of her that remembered her new affiliation told her that it was likely a common presence among the underground. Still, it made her no more comfortable than before.

"Shouldn't have brought that," Mike muttered as Nick slid the gun into a holster previously hidden by his suit's outer coat.

"Call it a hunch," Nick replied. "Every meeting we've been at has gone wrong. I'm not being caught off guard a second time."

"Fair enough,"Mike replied calmly. The ding of the elevator sounded just as the doors opened, and the cheetah stepped out, quickly sweeping the immediate area. Unlike before, now the casino was mostly vacated, save a large group of mammals in matching tan and khaki suits, a few of whom were leading one of several Sanchez-esque figures outside. With no time to waste, Mike led the two to an emergency exit, kicking the door open and sweeping the area outside. Judy and Nick stayed close behind, though due to Nick's clear experience compared to Judy's training, she stayed behind the fox. When Mike gave the all-clear, the two followed him outside and into the employee parking lot, and more importantly, his plain black four-door car.

They were almost to the car when gunfire broke out in the building. Neither Mike nor Nick flinched, unlike Judy, at the sudden sound. Whatever gunfight was going on lasted only a few moments, just long enough for them to enter the car, and by the time they were moving out of the parking lot the casino was quiet yet again. Judy was hesitant to think of the results, but Nick's sudden voice beside her was a good enough distraction. "Fluff, keep a hold of those papers. Mr. Big will need them to find out more of what we're dealing with."

"Got it," Judy said, taking a breath to calm herself down. Nick was calmly staring out the window beside her, and Mike's grip on the wheel was tight, but otherwise he seemed relaxed. That was, at least, until he looked in the rearview mirror.

"One of you, reach under your seat and grab the case. We're about to have some company."


	10. Road Rage

Judy undid her seatbelt and slid to the floor, turning and reaching under the seat for whatever case Mike had been referring to. Nick had taken the folders from her and was waiting patiently as she finally managed to grab a hold of the handle and drag the small case out. It was a simple silver case, with black rubber on the edges, and two latches to keep it shut. Opening it revealed what looked like a small sidearm, an M9, but with an elongated barrel and a small folding grip.

She froze for a moment, her police training telling her to avoid this for a slew of reasons. But then something rammed into the side of their car, sending her sideways to the ground, and she realized that this was no time to worry about these things. Pushing herself back to her knees, Judy reached into the case and drew out the weapon and one of the extended magazines beside it, before reaching up to hand it over to Mike.

"Thanks, rabbit," the cheetah said, taking the items with one hand paw, bringing it out of her sight. "Nick, start thinking of places to lose them at."

"Way ahead of you," Nick calmly replied. "Wait three streets then take a sharp left."

"Got it. Both of you hunker down, if they decide to shoot then the windows might break. If that happens, then I need you to-" Mike was cut off as another vehicle rammed into the side of their car, making the feline flinch and shout something Judy didn't catch. Mike tried to turn the vehicle away from the car that had just hit them, but their vehicle was again rammed from the side and forced back.

Judy looked out the windows from her seat, dismayed at seeing a black car with heavily tinted windows on either side, each ramming the car against the other. "Mike, you better do something!" Nick shouted, undoing his seatbelt and crawling into the front seat. Judy looked at where Nick had been sitting and grabbed the folders he had left behind, taking them to the small gun case and, after removing the two spare magazines inside, set them down and latched it shut before jumping back into her seat.

"I know!" The cheetah yelled back, words muffled by the sounds of the car being rammed and the gun he held in his mouth, using his free paw to load it.

"Nick," Judy said, watching the fox whip his head around to face her. "Folders in the case, here's the rest of the ammo," she said, passing to him the two magazines for Mike's gun.

"Thanks, Fluff," Nick replied, taking them and setting them in the middle. "Keep your head down, okay? I don't know what training you got, but I don't think they covered this. Mike, next left!"

"No, they didn't," Judy muttered, sitting on the floor so as to stay hidden, one arm covering the case protectively.

From the front seat, a loud _clack_ was heard, and Mike let out an "Aha!" of success, before saying "Brace yourselves!"

A moment later, Judy could feel the car decelerate, and both their attackers tore ahead of them. With his tires screaming in protest, Mike turned the wheel to the left, almost throwing Judy against the door as he slammed his foot to the pedal again. Everyone was tense for a moment before Mike let out a sigh of relief. "Think we lost them?" Nick asked.

As if to answer his question, there was a heavy thud from the back of the vehicle, and Judy was tossed into the back of Nick's seat. She brushed an ear from her eyes and gave a frustrated huff at the car behind them, which was trying its best to catch up and push the side of their car again.

"Right!" Nick shouted, and again, Judy was tossed to the opposite side of the car as Mike made a quick turn.

"Watch it!" Judy snapped, finally letting her frustration get to her. "I'm not a ragdoll!"

"Well if you want to stay _alive_ you'll have to deal with this, or buckle up!" Mike shouted back. "Nick, take this." Judy looked up in time to see Max passing Nick a small, silver pistol. "If they start shooting and I can't get a shot, you better be able to."

"Mikey, boy, do you forget who I am?" Nick replied in an oddly cheerful and smug tone.

"Not the time, Wilde!" Mike snapped. The car behind them rammed the back of the vehicle again, pressing Judy against Mike's seat as she let out a "woah!" at the unexpected jolt. Mike let out a frustrated snarl and tapped the brakes, making the car behind them ram into them once more. This time, though, Judy was prepared and didn't fall over. Taking the small opportunity, she tossed the case onto the seat and fastened a seatbelt over it, before sitting beside it and strapping herself in. Now at least she couldn't fall over.

"Take the next left!" Nick said. Mike was about to respond, when the glass of the back window shattered, accompanied by the loud crack of gunfire from the car behind them. Judy ducked down instantly, as did everyone else, as the front windshield began to spiderweb horribly from the shots.

"I can't see," Mike hissed, taking a foot up and kicking at the glass. "Wilde, help me out, will you?"

"Sure – Judy, take this, aim for their tires!" Nick reached behind his seat and passed Judy Mike's small pistol, not even waiting for her response before he turned back and undid his seatbelt. The fox scrambled on top of the dashboard and started kicking at the glass with Mike, until the windshield gave way and fell from its frame, Nick swiping at it to send it to the street.

Judy looked down and stared at the gun in her paws – a black polymer body with a silver slide, boxy design, and an uneasy feeling of its lethality just from holding it. She would've sat there and stared at it all day if it weren't for a second burst of bullets behind them, some tearing through her seat dangerously close to her ears.

"Judy, you can't just sit there!" Nick shouted. With a shake of her head, Judy undid her seatbelt and turned around, folding her ears against her head as she reached up and over the back seat. The gun was bulky in her paws, almost too big, and with Mike's decision to begin weaving along the (thankfully) near-empty road was making it difficult to aim. But she did her best, bringing the center sight onto the front left tire of the car and squeezing the trigger. Unfortunately, due to her inexperience and the conditions, she missed her first shot. This meant that the car she was aiming at now knew what she was doing and began to do its own weaving to keep her from hitting them.

Judy quickly settled for a second shot, this one narrowly missing its target. As she was lining up for a third shot, the saw an otter in a blue and black suit lean out of the window, brandishing a small firearm of his own. Judy ducked down just in time to avoid the hail of bullets he fired at her, crawling over the case to the far side of the car before popping up and taking a random shot. The otter ducked back into the car, buying Judy just enough time to aim for the front left tire and fire.

This time, she hit her mark – the tire exploded from the shot and began to tear itself apart, the car behind them letting out a squeal as the driver hit the brakes and tried to keep the car from wrecking – tried, until they drove into a stop sign, smoke pouring from the engine block and several mammals quickly crawling out.

Judy let out a relieved breath and sank back down into her seat, eyes shut and head pressed against the cushioning behind her. When she felt someone staring at her she poked open and eye and raised her eyebrow curiously, as Nick was giving her a slightly impressed look. "Didn't think you could do it; good job, Carrots."

"You should give me more credit," Judy replied with a small laugh.

"You gotta earn it," Nick replied with a smirk.

"Alright, yeah, good job," Mike interrupted. "But if you two are done flirting, then-"

"Watch out!" Nick shouted, cutting him off. Judy barely had time to register the car's sudden shift before it had happened. The next thing she knew, the street they had been facing was replaced with yet another black car, and Judy could make out the wrecked car in the distance.

"Mike, get us out of here!" Judy shouted.

"Already on it!" The cheetah yelled, some panic in his voice as he turned around to look out the back window. He slammed the car into reverse before once again hitting the gas, sending them backwards down the street. The other black car kept with them, bumper to bumper, pushing them even faster along the road. "One of you, shoot the tires out when I turn," Mike instructed.

"Hey Fluff, you want to earn some of that credit?" Nick asked.

"I don't have a shot from back here," she replied.

"Fair point," Nick muttered. "Pass me the gun." Judy reached over from her seat and gave Nick the pistol, the fox giving it a very brief check before standing up in his seat. "Alright Mike, on your- AH!"

The fox recoiled at the same time as a gunshot rang out, ducking down and clutching at his paw. Judy leaned in between the front seats worriedly, looking at Nick. The fox was clutching at his paw, the gun out of sight, hissing in pain. "Nick, are you okay?" Judy asked, mind running through possibilities of what had just happened.

"Nngh, yeah," the replied. "They hit the gun, not me."

"Nick, get in the back seat," Mike ordered. He ducked down just as another shot rang out, the cushioning of his headrest flying over the back of the car. Nick did as he was told, stepping between the seats and crouching on the floor beside Judy, clutching his paw.

"Let me see," Judy said, reaching for his paw. Nick recoiled at her action, shaking his head.

"It's fine, just shaken. It's like hitting something really, really hard," he explained. He slowly took his paws apart, holding them up to inspect them, and to show Judy. "See? Fine. But I'm flattered by your worry, Fluff."

Before Judy could respond, Mike let out a shout. Judy snapped her head up to look at the cheetah, wincing and covering her ears as he began to pull the trigger on his gun. A steady stream of bangs erupted from the gun as brass bounced off of the ceiling and cascaded to the floor. Judy didn't hear if the windshield of the opposing car had shattered, but the vehicle had begun to slow down and was turning away from Mike's... However, it was still pushing against his vehicle, forcing it to go backwards faster than it was able – as was evident from the high-pitched whine coming from the engine.

That was, at least, until Mike jerked the wheel to one side and spun his car around, letting the other car speed ahead without them – and right into a power pole. Mike didn't even glance at it as he sped past, breathing heavily and looking over his shoulder at Nick and Judy. "You two alright?" he asked.

The bunny and fox looked to one another, nodding before turning to look back at the cheetah. "Yeah," Judy breathed. "We're okay. Just... Get us home, please?"

Still breathing heavily, Mike nodded and turned his attention back to the road. "Right. We'll be there soon."


	11. Learning

"The two of you, take some time to rest. Judith, you especially – I can tell you are quite shaken from this experience." Mr. Big sat back in his tiny chair, eyes hidden behind his bushy eyebrows as he looked over the duo. "We will look over the documents you brought us and take into account your encounter. I will call for you two tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Nick said, giving a small bow before turning to leave. Judy echoed his words and turned to follow after him, but a brief call of her name by their boss stopped her. Judy turned around to face Mr. Big once again, ears raised and eyes locked on him curiously.

"You did well today. I'm proud of you." The shrew's statement was quiet, and from feeling of Nick relaxing that she detected, she took it as a rare compliment.

"Thank you, sir. I hope to make a habit of that." The bunny said, a smile crossing her muzzle. Mr. Big simply nodded and offered his own smile, before waving them off. She turned around and the two of them continued out of the room, walking side-by-side down the hall.

"We make a pretty good team, don't you think?" Judy asked once they were around the corner.

Nick smiled slightly and nodded. "That we are. You did great today, Carrots." The two fell into silence as they walked down the hall, and it slowly grew into something awkward.

Judy could feel that Nick was fighting the urge to say something, from the way he kept opening his mouth slightly before shutting it. When they reached her room, Judy stopped and grabbed Nick's paw before the fox could continue without her. He froze mid-step, tail giving a flick before he turned to face her, tugging his paw away with a curious expression. "What is it?" The bunny asked.

"That? That's a paw, Carrots. I thought you knew this? Did they not teach basic biology out in the sticks?" He gave a small laugh as he waited for her usually infuriated reaction, which he would smirk at.

His slight, smug expression fell at her response, the bunny choosing to ignore his comment about Bunnyburrow. "What's bothering you, I mean?"

"Nothing's bothering me," Nick replied a little too quickly. He flinched at his own hastiness, glancing away from Judy for a moment before letting his gaze rest on her again, arms crossing over his chest.

"You're a bad liar," Judy said, raising an eyebrow in expectation. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"

"The only thing that's bothering me right now is a little gray bunny who won't back off," Nick said, tone falling to one harsher than he wanted as his defensiveness became hostility. He felt guilty when he saw Judy visibly flinch, and he noticed the warm light in her eyes harden to something colder.

"Fine," Judy hissed softly. "I just wanted to try and help, but fine. I get the hint. I'll back off." She backed up and pushed the door to her room open, not bothering to flick on the lights as she turned around and slammed the door. In her movements, she didn't notice Nick's face flash with regret, and she didn't notice him reaching out a paw to her door just before it slammed on him. She also didn't notice his upset expression as he turned away, or how his shoulders slumped slightly as he walked down the hall to his own room.

"Dumb fox," Judy muttered, undressing from her suit in the dim light of the room.

~ óÓÒò ~

"Remind me why we're doing this again?" Judy asked, walking back to Nick with a look of irritation spread across her face. She had been running through these "target drills" all morning now, and she was tired of them. Every practice round she fired hit its mark, every target fell, and her time continued to get shorter.

"Because it isn't perfect yet," Nick sighed, holding out two magazines for Judy's practice weapon. It was a modified P99, remade for her size, firing rubber 9mm rounds for her practice runs. The bunny doe rolled her eyes and took the magazines, dropping her spent ones and loading in a fresh one.

"There's no such thing as perfect," Judy replied tiredly, checking over her weapon before sliding it into her concealed holster. She could feel Nick's eyes on her as she returned to the starting point, and felt her ears burn slightly as she caught him muttering "I wouldn't say that," under his breath. "What was that?" She asked, glancing at Nick. The fox blinked and flicked an ear dismissively, turning his eyes from her and to the field before her.

"You could go faster, and complete the course with fewer shots." The fox nodded to the targets. "If you ever get put into this kind of situation, you want to take out as many as possible while staying on the move and-"

"Yeah, I get it, do better," Judy snapped. She was still more than a little frustrated with the fox from the other day. She would've avoided Nick for the rest of the week if it weren't for Mr. Big instructing Nick to train Judy to better take care of herself if something ever happened. And while the fox had seemed reluctant, he didn't seem hostile.

Nick sighed again and nodded. "Yeah. Try the run again. If you can get it under 30 seconds, you're done." The fox stepped back and pressed the red button that set the timer, giving Judy her signal to start. As she leaped forward and began the run again, she could feel Nick's eyes always on her. A part of her was annoyed at the constant observation, but a part of her felt something like comfort from it. The rest, was just indifferent and focused on the task at paw.

"Thirty-two point four seconds," Nick said when Judy returned. "Getting better. Run it again."

~ óÓÒò ~

Judy smacked her padded fists together with satisfaction, giving her protective helmet a final tap before turning back to the ring. She had been completely unaware the Mr. Big's estate had a complete set of gym equipment in the basement, along with a full boxing ring, until today. If she had known sooner, this little 'practice fight' would've happened much sooner. Nick was stood at the opposite corner, making the final adjustments to his helmet before slipping on his boxing gloves.

Judy sized him up as she waited for him to finish. Dressed in gray gym shorts and a white tank top, the fox looked more built than when he wore a suit. She could easily see his desceptively muscular physique clearly now, and it slightly impressed her. If she were simply walking by him on the street, she wouldn't think him to be as fit as he was.

"Alright, Fluff," Nick called out to her. "You've got two minutes to take me down."

"I only need one," Judy called back, grinning widely in anticipation. Finally, a chance to get back at Nick for her first night here. The fox, however, smiled and shook his head.

"Alright, Raymond. Start the timer." Nick made a show of popping his neck as the polar bear overseeing their sparring match huffed in affirmation, pressing a button on his phone.

Judy immediately fell into a classic boxer pose, bouncing on her feet as she and Nick drew near. She took a moment to analyze his own pose: a more relaxed boxer's stance, arms tucked close to his body, which was turned to the side to make him a smaller target. He was bouncing on his feet as well, but the timing was constant.

Judy decided that that's how she'd strike first. Waiting until Nick bounced on his front foot, Judy launched herself at him, feet raised to kick him. The fox, as she expected, blocked her with his arm, but between his bouncing and her force he was pushed back. One arm flailed behind him as he tried to regain his balance, but Judy had already landed and was taking advantage of the opening.

Darting forward, she threw several jabs at the fox's midsection, forching the fox further back as he struggled not to trip. She made to throw a left hook at his muzzle as he pulled himself forward, but much to her surprise the fox ducked below the blow and gave her a right hook of his own. Judy recoiled from the blow taking the chance to rotate with the blow. As she did, she lowered herself down and kicked out a leg, trying to sweep out Nick's feet from under him. The fox had backed away, though, causing Judy's leg to meet nothing but air.

As she rose, Judy saw Nick coming close for an uppercut, and beat him to it, punching the fox right in the bottom of his muzzle. The reynard stumbled back from the surprisingly strong blow, giving Judy just enough time to dart in again and punch his midsection yet again. The fox was ready this time, however, blocking her attacks with his forearms. Judy tried to punch past his defense, and as a result didn't have time to react when the fox spun away from her and dropped down, mirroring her sweeping kick from before, only being successful with his. The bunny doe fell back and found herself staring at the ceiling as Nick reared his arm back to bring down on her.

Judy, thinking fast, lifted up her feet and wrapped them around Nick's arm, before twisting on the ground to bring the fox down with her. Then, she let go of his arm and rolled to her feet, running to the far side of the ring before jumping backwards and onto the elastic rope. As Nick stood, the bunny launched herself at him, hitting him square in the chest with her feet and knocking him back into the ropes behind him. As Judy jumped up to deal a final blow, Nick once again ducked, this time catching the front of Judy's legs with his arm and sending her to the floor.

Judy gasped as her breath escaped her lungs, rolling over as soon as she found her breath, only to meet one of Nick's padded fists meeting the side of her helmet. With nothing but sheer anger behind the action, Judy coiled her feet up between them and kicked out, launching Nick across the mat. The fox let out a pained whine as he landed. Judy rose up to her feet and began making her way to Nick as the fox rolled over, gearing up to jump at him for a finishing blow before a loud buzz cut through the air.

Judy lowered her arms in disappointment as Nick rolled over, letting a pained laugh escape himself. "That... Was the longest two minutes of my life," Nick groaned, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Funny, that was the shortest two of mine," Judy snarked, grinning as she offered Nick a paw up. It felt good to beat him like that, in a sort of sadistic way. But she felt much better now, and her aggression towards the fox had disappeared somewhat.

"You know, there's an adult joke to be made there, but that's beneath me," Nick chuckled, taking her paw and rising back to his feet.

"And there's an adult joke _I_ could make there," Judy picked up, "but _that's_ beneath me."

"Oh, maybe country bunny's not so innocent after all?" Nick asked, looking down with what appeared to be feigned interest. "Color me impressed."

"I'm about as innocent as you are clever," Judy fired back, both of their grins widening.

"Why, Carrots, you're not the most innocent thing on the planet! Didn't you hear yourself just now?" Nick shook his head and made a small 'tsk' sound.

"Oh shush, you." Judy couldn't help but laugh and step away as she punched Nick's arm. The fox just laughed and rubbed where she had hit, both of them walking out of the ring. Raymond rolled his eyes and made a gagging expression as they neared.

"What's the matter, bud?" Nick asked innocently as they neared. "Furball?"

The polar bear just rolled his eyes and shook his head, not bothering to give more than a terse huff as a response.

~ óÓÒò ~

"What do you think?" Nick asked, cutting carefully into his soybean steak and trying to drive away the gravy from his mashed potatoes.

Judy looked up from her own meal: an eggplant rollatini with a small side salad. "About the food?" She asked. "It's great. I wonder if the chef could give me the recipe?"

The two were having a dinner at a restaurant Judy hadn't caught the name of, but given their surrounding mammals and the design of the interior – fancy, victorian style everything, gifting the building with a great grace – told her it was a 'fancy' one. It didn't bother her, though – the food was delicious. They had been given a private window table that overlooked the street below, the hustle and bustle of Zootopia's evening life creating a comforting background hum to accompany the faint orchestral music.

"That isn't what I meant," Nick replied, taking a moment to take a bite from his steak. "I meant of your new... Job."

"Oh," Judy muttered softly. It had been little over a week since their meeting with Sandcat Sanchez, and she had been using her spare time between Nick's training and her own exercise routine to contemplate her new line of work. She was no longer as averse to it as she had once been, seeing the potential to do good in the absence of her role as a ZPD officer, but some aspects still made her uneasy. For instance, their more lackadaisical responses to criminal activity. "It's... Different. But I'm not sure what my role is supposed to be."

"At the moment? You're supposed to be learning of my line of work," Nick replied, cutting another bite of his steak. "Which is something between a bodyguard, and a hitmammal."

Judy paused mid-bite, slowly lowering her fork as a chill traveled up her spine. "A hitmammal?" She asked, Nick confirming with a casual nod.

"Of sorts," Nick explained. "I do my best to not spill blood if at all possible."

"But that doesn't mean not at all," Judy said.

Nick nodded again, taking another bite of his meal before setting down his fork. "You know what we do – it's what is commonly referred to as wetwork or contract killing by those in the business, and by other terms by those outside of it – murder, slaughter, et cetera. But it isn't all so black and white."

Judy nodded shallowly, gesturing for Nick to continue. The fox leaned back in his seat and ran a paw between his ears. "I didn't want to do this line of work, but an awful lot of things pushed me to it. Money. Favors. My father."

"Your father?" Judy interrupted.

"You've most likely heard of him," Nick sighed. "He went by a few names in the underground – some of which were very ironic, other very fitting. Like 'Birdie', 'Hood', and 'Red'. He tried to quit the business after he met my mother, but... He couldn't. Kept getting roped back in for one more job – just _one more job_. When I was old enough to do some snooping I found out about his line of work, and instead of pushing me away... He let me in. Had no shame in it. Saw it as just another job, as if he were a chef or a clerk. I met a few... Business partners when I was little, mostly by accident, but they all set expectations. I could never escape that. So when the world kept turning me away from everything, just because I was a fox... So I turned to the same business as him. Don't think I liked it, though. My point is, I'm not entirely here by choice. If I could, I'd just move elsewhere with a nice big house, and keep to myself. But I can't."

"Why can't you?" Judy asked.

"Mr. Big has what is called a "Marker" for me." Nick sighed. "It's like a blood pact, used on the most prestigious of... Underground workers, like myself."

"Only to the most prestigious. Like you, and your father?" Judy watched curiously as Nick picked up his fork and began to rotate it in his paw, seemingly more interested in it than continuing, though he did just that a moment later.

"Exactly like that – Masters. There's four 'ranks' to this :novice, dilettantes, journeymammal and master. Novices are the ones you see a lot on the news – some crook, probably trying to make a name for themselves, taking out gang targets or something. Dillettantes do it because they're desperate for money, but most back out of the contract. Journeymammals, though, can pull off crimes well enough, but most often end up getting caught. Everyone else is considered a 'Master'. Most, like my father, have military training – he was in the Zootopia Defense Force before I was born. Most masters work for the government, and only some are tied to a crime lord... Like me." Nick took a bite of his mashed potatoes, clearly attempting to hide his unhappy expression. "The marker is, again, a sort of blood pact or contract. Until we've repaid the debt it binds us to, we're stuck with the crime boss."

Judy let out a small "Oh" and picked at her food for a moment, letting silence settle between the two. Nick had cleared up some unspoken questions she had, but there was now one she was internally debating about asking. Just as the silence was growing awkward again, Judy gave in and asked. "What did Mr. Big do for you?"

Nick was quiet for a long time, taking deliberately slow bites of his meal to stall for time. When he finally began to run low on steak, he sighed once more. "He... Saved my mother, in a way. Got her out of a deathtrap of an apartment and into her dream home. It was what I'd been working towards for so long, when she began to fall ill because the building was rotting from the inside out... I got desperate. But it wasn't cheap, so I've been bound to Mr. Big ever since"

Judy was quiet as she continued picking at her food, trying to think of something to say in response. Finally, she found her voice, and muttered an "I'm sorry,".

"For what?" Nick looked up from his plate, cutting apart the steak again.

"That you're stuck doing something you don't like. That you have to be bound to something like this. That you can't get out of this." Judy opened her mouth to continue, but Nick held up a paw to silence her.

"Don't be," the fox said, a hint of sorrow tinting his voice. "It's my own fault."

"But still," Judy insisted. "If nothing else... I doubt I'd be here if not for you. Be it because Mr. Big would've had no partner for me, or if I'd of had no one to count on until now."

"You mean... You didn't have someone to count on before?"

"No," Judy said with a sad laugh. "Almost all of my family is out in Bunnyburrow. No one really believed in my dream but me, and I hadn't been in the city long enough to make any friends... But thanks to you, Fru-Fru, and even Mr. Big, I have a family. Sure, we might be a bit disfunctional," she made a point to stare right at Nick with joking accusation as she said this. "But still a family."

That brought a smile to the fox's face. "Well, we try," he said. "But I think I know who makes us so disfunctional – it's that darned Kenny, isn't it? Always being a prankster."

"I'm sure he's had some influence from a certain fox," Judy teased, grinning as the air around them grew less tense from the humor.

"Who? Did we get a new fox? Why did no one tell me?"

"Ugh, you're ridiculous," Judy groaned, chuckling through the irritation.

"I thought I was Nick?"


	12. Problems

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Nick, you've _always_ got a bad feeling these days."

"True. But it's especially bad today."

"So, what? Is there too little foam in your latte, is that it?" Judy rolled her eyes and blew on her thermos of hot cocoa, staring out at the world from the cafe corner she and Nick were sharing. It was, as always, freezing outside and the two had been given no tasks for this week. Given that it had been almost two months since Mr. Big had tasked Nick with training Judy, she was more than grateful. Long days of excercising, sparring, training, and such had left the bunny in dire need of some relaxation. Nick hadn't wanted to admit it, but she could tell that he too was wanting some time to unwind.

"I'm being serious," Nick sighed, rubbing his neck as he stretched it, staring out the window with her. "Something bad's going to happen and I can't tell what it is. But I really, really don't like it."

"It could just be stress," Judy suggested. "I'm not saying you're not feeling anything, but you might be exaggerating it from stress. Or, you might just be really tired."

"Eh... Maybe," Nick muttered, taking a sip of his coffee. "What do you think the families are going to do about the newcomer? The Sandcats have been almost pushed out of their territory. Do you think they'll help?"

"Isn't that their job?" Judy asked.

"More like obligation," Nick replied, shaking his head. "In all honesty they probably want as much power as they can get, and the Sandcats weren't exactly the most well-liked group out there." He paused to take a drink. "But if the new group continues to expand like this, and the families don't group together, it's going to be a problem."

"Right... Because of the ZPD backing. I remember hearing one of the polar bears saying something about it – the ZPD all over the city have been more... Active." Judy furrowed her brow and stared into her drink. "Even in the places with good standing, like here. At first I thought it was just them having too little to do, but thinking about it..."

"They seem a little _too_ active for that," Nick finished. "And they've been getting bolder. Raymond's group actually got stopped last week."

"I didn't hear about that." Judy said, raising her ears in both curiousity and alarm. "What happened?"

"As far as I can tell, there wasn't a good reason... The officer said the tail light was out, but I remember working on that car, everything should be fine." He frowned deeper and took another drink of his latte. "But the cop let them go after a quick look at everything. Raymond doesn't like it though, and I don't either. You were in the ZPD, you know anything he could've been stopped for?"

Judy shook her head, heart still giving a twinge of sadness at the thought of being a ZPD officer, but she quelled it by reminding herself of her new role. "Nothing comes to mind right now, and I would've had to of been there to tell more."

"Dang," Nick muttered, taking a long drink this time. Judy did the same, the two falling into a comfortable silence, broken only by the ambient music of the cafe, patrons, and the occasional burst of cars driving by as someone entered or left.

Judy had just finished her hot chocolate as Nick gave a long slurp on his drink, giving a very satisfied _Aaah_ as he set the cup down. "Well, Carrots, ready to blow this popsicle stand? There's still daylight and I don't want to spend it cooped up somewhere again."

"You read my mind, Slick," Judy replied happily, jumping down from her seat. Nick did the same, tossing his empty cup into the trash as they walked out of the cafe. The rabbit gave a small shiver at the cold air, wrapping the pink scarf she wore tighter around her neck.

"Still not used to it?" Nick asked, somewhat surprised.

"Nope," Judy replied, trying to keep her teeth from jittering together. "I blame the fact that the cafe was warm."

"It's all those heavy clothes you wear," Nick laughed as he got into the driver's side of his car, unlocking the door for Judy. "You can't grow a winter pelt that way, so you're going to be colder when you step out here."

"So I have to suffer to be warm?" Judy asked skeptically.

"Pretty much," Nick grinned, starting the car and pulling out of the parking lot. The two of them sat in silence for a moment before the fox spoke again. "So, where to?"

"A mall?" Judy suggested.

"A mall? Ewww," Nick replied.

"What? I've never been to a mall before!" Judy said, unable to help but grin at Nick's expression, tongue sticking out and nose scrunched up.

"Right, and you don't _want_ to go to one," he said. "Next?"

"A movie?" She suggested.

"What, are we dating now?" Nick laughed.

Judy scoffed. "Hardly," she said.

Nick appeared taken aback. "Carrots, are you saying I'm not good enough for you?" he grinned, breaking the feigned hurt.

"That's _exactly_ what I'm saying," she shot back. Nick slapped his leg and laughed.

"Oh, I've taught you well, young Pawdawan." He laughed harder, shaking his head. "Guess that's what happens when you learn from the master."

"Funny, I thought you were teaching me. Where's the master?" Judy fired off again.

Nick hissed that time, a grin spread across his face. "So savage, Fluff," he chuckled. "Take it easy, will ya? Coffee hasn't kicked in yet."

Judy rolled her eyes and prepared another response just as Nick's phone went off. The fox picked it up, and his smile dipped a bit as he checked the screen. He put the device to his ear a moment later and Judy tried to listen in, but the voice was too faint for even her to hear. From the sound of it, though, it was their boss. "Yes, sir. We're still in the district, yes. What? Okay, we'll be there soon."

He hung up and set his phone down, slamming on the brakes and spinning the car around, almost throwing Judy against her door and earning an angry honk from some unseen driver. "Sorry, Carrots, change of plans. We're needed back home, sounds like something bad happened."

Judy adjusted in her seat as Nick sped up, pressing her into it. " _What_ happened?" She asked, looking out the window as the world sped by a bit too fast.

"Mr. Big didn't say, but it's bad. He sounded hurt." Nick's face became serious as he stared at the road, pressing even more on the gas. Judy nodded and fell silent, wanting him to focus on the road more than anything.

Not five minutes later and they had pulled into the parking garage of the Big estate, and were sprinting inside. When they entered, the halls seemed unusually empty. On Nick's unspoken command – a gesture - both of them drew from their concealed holsters, Judy's P99 held low as she ran beside Nick, who was holding his modified P30L up as they ran. The two checked each hallway on the way to their destination – Mr. Big's office – and found each empty. But when they rounded the corner to the office they needed, they found the reason why.

The hallway was a mess. The rug had been bundled and torn up at one end, claw marks had appeared on the walls, pictures were either at an angle or on the floor, and one light was shattered. At the far end was a massing of polar bears, each one already having aimed at Nick and Judy the moment they rounded the corner. Upon realizing who it was, the two were waved over and into the office. Mr Big sat on his chair, seemingly a bit ruffled but otherwise normal. "Fillis, you take some of the boys and make sure the house is empty now. If you find anyone here who shouldn't be, get rid of 'em." the shrew ordered. A large polar bear with near-silver fur nodded and waved for several other bears to join him as they shuffled off down the hallway, shutting the door behind them.

Nick and Judy turned to their boss, both silent but brimming with curiousity and concern. Mr. Big sat back in his chair and brushed at his suit with a disapproving expression. "I'm glad you two got here so quickly," he said. "As you can see, there's been an... Incident. Boris was returning from an errand and was giving me a report, when..." The shrew paused, moving a tiny paw around as he searched for the words. "He attacked. There wasn't so much as a shatter of glass, but his eyes went wide, and he fell to all fours and acted... Primitive. He wounded Ellis before Koslov and the others sedated him in the hallway."

"He just attacked?" Nick asked. "He's always had a short temper, but that's... Not like him."

"No, it wasn't," the shrew agreed. "I've called you two here because of his errand. He was to meet with a member of the Sandcats and tell us of their situation now. We've known it was getting worse but how bad exactly was unknown. I want you two to go over his report and-"

The door to the office burst open, and as Nick and Judy turned a well-dressed cheetah was thrown into the room. He grunted in pain and grabbed his arm, looking up at the room with wide, scared and pained eyes. It took a moment for Judy to recognize him as Max. He no longer wore the usual tan suit of the Sandcats, but was in a navy blue one instead, which was torn and ripped in places. There was a notable gash in his forehead, which was oozing red that leaked down his face, matting down the fur in some places. He let out another gasp and held up his paws as one Kenny grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him to his knees, the other paw holding a gun to his head.

"Max," Mr. Big said with a disapproving tone. "What are you doing here? There was no word of you coming and given our circumstances you-"

"I came because I need your help," the feline interrupted. Kenny snorted and shoved his weapon against the back of his head, making the cheetah wince. Mr. Big waved a paw and Kenny relaxed slightly.

"This is not the time for you to be asking for help. If you wanted an audience you should have asked. This is the one warning I will give you – get out. I will speak with Mister Sanchez about this." The shrew waved his paw away and Kenny turned, taking Max with him as he hauled the cheetah to his feet and out the door. Max opened his mouth in protest before shooting a pleading look at Nick and Judy, making the bunny snap from her silence.

"Kenny, wait!" She turned to ensure the polar bear had paused before turning to her boss, ignoring Nick's sudden stiffness. "Mr. Big, what if he knows something about what happened to Boris? Isn't it worth listening to him at least?"

Mr. Big sat back in his chair, eyes hidden behind his eyebrows as he stared at Judy. From the way Nick had reacted, she began to regret her decision, until the shrew sighed and nodded. "Bring him back." Kenny snorted a second time and nodded, turning and shoving Max back into the room. The cheetah, with grateful look towards Judy, stood in the center of the room again. "I give you ten minutes to tell us why you're here," Mr. Big said.

Max nodded and took a hesitant breath. "I came because of Sanchez, sir. He's... He's dead."


	13. Rising Tension

"He's _what?_ " Mr. Big asked, leaning forward in his chair in surprise.

"Dead, sir. I was on my way back from a talk with Kitsu and his Family, and when I arrived Sanchez had been shot..." Max looked down at the floor and lashed his tail from side to side in anger. "The _one_ time I leave his side and he gets killed," he muttered.

"What were you doing in the Canyonlands?" the shrew asked.

"I was seeking Kitsu's help, Señor Sanchez wanted to seek asylum in his territory while we waited for the rest of the families to get back on our hearing." The cheetah looked back up to the shrew and sighed. "I'd ask what the verdict was, but it doesn't really matter now."

Mr. Big let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in his seat. "Then why are you here?" he demanded. "You have more urgent matters to attend to."

"I'm here because he wasn't the only one who'd been taken out. The casino was crawling with mammals I've never seen before, and I could tell that there had been a gunfight. ZPD was coming to cordon off the area as I left. I... Came because I needed a safe place." Max gave a hopeful, yet nervous grin to the shrew. "I've nowhere to go but here."

The tiny shrew was quiet for a moment, before looking at Nick and Judy. "You two, I want you to go meet with Ms. Beau. She was close to Mr. Sanchez and will likely want news of this. I will arrange for your meeting to be tomorrow afternoon. Max, you may stay in the Sandcats safehouse here in Tundratown for the time being. I will assign a security detail until things have calmed."

Max looked like he was about to protest for a moment, before nodding gratefully. "Thank you, sir," he said.

Mr. Big just nodded, continuing on. "Nicky, take Judy to a specialty shop and get some supplies before you leave. Sabine has been quiet for some time and I'm unsure of the situation in her territory. Be careful. I do not wish to send the two of you under-prepared."

"Yes, sir!" Nick said, nodding.

"Judy, I know you aren't comfortable with your profession yet but it's important to me that you do your job well. Listen to Nicky. Stay safe."

"Yes, sir." Judy replied, standing up a bit straighter, ears high and attentive.

"Mr. Big, if I may?" Max suddenly spoke up. "I still have my vehicle – it's a bit banged up, but mostly fine. In return for your kindness I can take them to Sabine and back? She owes me a favor and I may be able to use that to your advantage."

"No," Mr. Big didn't even hesitate. "You are going to the safe house. Marcus will drive them."

With a short nod from the feline, the fox and bunny turned and began to walk out of the office, a sense of purpose around them.

~ óÓÒò ~

"I know."

"You know? And you don't care?" Nick gawked at the elegantly dressed skunk.

She rolled her eyes and twirled her glass of moscato before taking a smal sip, looking down at the fox and bunny with a clearly condescending, forced smile.

"I know, and I care, but that's all I have to say on the topic. Sanchez was playing his cards wrong and paid the price for it. There's nothing to be done now, simple as that." Sabine sat back on her chair and crossed one leg over the other, the skunk giving Nick and Judy a bored expression. "But it's quite good that you two came along when you did. It's saved me some trouble." As Sabine spoke, several of her guards moved up behind Nick and Judy, blocking the door. "You see, there's plans for this city that some of the more old-fashioned bosses, like your Mr. Big, simply won't allow. But others, like me? We're a very ambitious bunch. And thanks to some changes happening in the big picture, we can finally put that to use." Sabine snapped her fingers, and both Nick and Judy froze at the sound of weapons being drawn behind them. "Now, because I owe some favors, I won't kill you here and now. However, I can't exactly let you run off and tell your boss, now can I? So here's my proposal for the two of you. Do what my boys say, go along nicely, and you'll both get to walk out of here in one piece once everything is over. Understood?"

Judy felt her paws twitch and there was a scratch at the back of her mind to draw her weapon, but Nick's defeated sigh instructed otherwise. "Fine," the fox said. Then, under his breath, "Not like we have much of a choice." Then, just barely audible for even Judy's hearing: "When we get out of this room, follow me."

Judy gave no sign of having heard the fox, instead staring at the mob boss before them as she grinned and resumed speaking. "Good, good. Listen to them carefully; I'd love to stay and take care of this myself, but I have a _very_ important guest arriving soon." The skunk gave a small smirk and rose from her seat, exiting the room through a door to their left, several bodyguards following her. A wolf, elk, and another skunk. The rest gave Nick and Judy a little shove, pushing them to a door on the right. She couldn't help but notice the way Nick's ears drooped slightly at where they were going, and her own ears fell. That wasn't a good sign. 

~ óÓÒò ~

Nick slammed the door shut behind Judy, the two of them collapsing on the other side of the door and panting, out of breath. As the bunny began to pick herself up from the floor, Nick pushed himself off the ground and began to push on the nearby bookshelf, sending it over the floor as Judy stepped away. "That should buy us some time," he panted, gesturing for Judy to follow him as he led her through the small house. They ended up in a guest bedroom, the fox grabbing a barely-living lavender plant and waving it around before reaching under the small bed with a grunt, hissing as he floundered around before crawling under himself. It wasn't long before there was a click, followed by a rolling sound. "Come on, Fluff," he said, disappearing under the bed.

Judy quietly looked under the bed and saw a small, square hole in the ground, Nick poking his head out from it. She quickly slid under the bed and into the hole with him, watching as the fox pulled the rolling cover back into place, pressing against it until it clicked again, sealing them inside. He then brushed past her and flicked an unseen switch, illuminating the small space.

It was a room, little larger than a walk-in closet for a smaller mammal, with a small box labeled 'Food' and a cot in one corner, a radio and stack of books in the other. "What is this?" she asked, walking over to the bed and sitting on it as Nick brushed dust from the books.

"An old panic room. My dad had this installed when I was little. Meant to expand on it, but never did." The fox picked up a book and brushed it off, coughing and setting it back down as dust flew from the cover. "What a mess," he muttered, walking to the bed, taking the pillow and patting the dust from it. He moved back past Judy and flipped another switch, a small whirring noise sounding as a vent turned on, circulating air through the room for them.

"This room, or our situation?" Judy asked in a half-hearted attempt at humor.

"Both," Nick replied with a single chuckle. "We should be able to hole up here, though. At least, for a little while."

"Good," Judy sighed, leaning back and pressing her head against the concrete wall. "I don't think I could run much more today."

"Me neither," Nick yawned. "Are you alright?"

"Just a few scratches," Judy mumbled, sitting back up and checking over herself. Her suit was torn in some places, and dirty, but her undersuit was relatively unharmed. "You?"

Nick was quiet for a moment, looking himself over before replying "Same. Guess we got lucky that Sabine's lackeys are such bad shots, huh?"

"Mhm," Judy responded, voice muffled by her yawn as she leaned against the wall again. Her eyelids were growing quite heavy, and she felt the need to sleep.

It was quiet for a moment, and Judy very nearly fell asleep, until Nick spoke. "Why don't I stay up to watch things? Make sure-" a yawn. "-no one finds us."

"Can you stay up that long?" Judy asked.

Nick took a moment to respond, letting out another yawn before he did so. "Yeah, I should be fine."

"You're a bad liar," Judy snickered, opening her eyes and sitting up once more. Nick was leaned over on the edge of the bed, eyes shut. "Let's both sleep. I doubt anyone will find us."

"In the same bed?"

"It's not like we're naked," Judy pointed out. "We're both exhausted, there's one bed, and it's a hidden room."

"I don't know, Carrots, I-"

Judy cut him off by laying on the bed and tugging him down with her. "You're a very dumb fox, you know that? Just sleep."

Nick opened his mouth to argue, but instead just muttered "Then let me stay against the wall."

Judy obliged and got up, letting Nick shift to the other side of the bed before she laid down again. "Goodnight, Nick," she yawned out, shutting her eyes and curling up into a ball. Nick's response was a nearly unintelligible "G'night", followed by soft snores.

It didn't take long for Judy to follow suit.

~ óÓÒò ~

 **Kept you waiting, huh? Please R &R if you have the time, feedback helps me get the ideas going and makes me want to write more. Plus, I'll never improve without it. Sorry I took so long, but life has been crazy as of late. This chapter was actually ready to go for a while but I just didn't upload it, and then I forgot, then needed to revise it, and... Yeah.  
Sorry.**


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